Wait for You
by Liz4
Summary: The follow up to "Extracurricular Activities." B/E are happy, but what does everyone else think of their new relationship?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: For everyone who reviewed "Extracurricular Activities" and wanted a follow up. A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being so awesome and being there every step of the way to bounce ideas off of and to offer up some fantastic ones of her own. This would be impossible if not for her (or it at least wouldn't be very good ;).

* * *

Bella pulled her truck up to the curb in front of her house and turned off the engine. Edward leapt from the truck and was at Bella's door before she had finished unfastening her seatbelt. "So, I was thinking," he said, reaching up a hand to help her from the car. "This being the small town of Forks and all, what do you say to me making you breakfast here? You know, away from prying eyes that might let my parents know that I'm not actually camping with the guys this weekend."

Bella's skin tingled where it was touching Edward's and she found she was having difficulty forming a coherent thought. She closed her eyes a moment to focus and took a breath. "I think that sounds great," she told him, opening her eyes. "If you don't mind."

Edward smiled. "Not at all." He pulled her closer to him and leaned down to press his lips gently to hers. Bella could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest and she sighed softly against Edward's lips. He pulled back slowly, smiling crookedly down at her. "I wanted to do that the whole drive over here," he admitted. "I thought we'd never get here." Bella blushed and Edward's smile grew. "I love when you do that," he told her softly, cupping her cheek with his hand.

"Do what?" she asked, unable to focus on much beyond the feeling of Edward's skin on hers.

"Blush like that. It makes you look even more beautiful." Bella swore she could feel her skin flush even darker and Edward chuckled lightly. "Come on, let's get inside and get some food. It's been too long since either one of us ate." He took her hand in his again and the two walked hand in hand up the driveway to the house.

Bella unlocked the front door and the couple walked into the house together. Bella was nervous a moment, wondering how her modest house must look in comparison to the mansion everyone at school said Edward's family had. After the time they had spent together, she found she couldn't really imagine Edward caring about something like that, but she was still slightly apprehensive.

She turned to him and found he was watching her. "Is it okay?" he asked her. "Me being here, I mean."

She smiled up at him and to her horror found herself blurting out the truth. "I was just wondering how my house compares to the enormous one everyone at school says you have." She closed her eyes as she finished speaking, her face flushing scarlet once more.

"Bella." Bella opened her eyes and saw that Edward was looking at her with a puzzled expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I know my house isn't all that big or fancy or…" Bella trailed off, unable to look at him.

"Bella, do you really think I would care about something like that?" Bella shook her head but still couldn't meet his gaze. "Bella, please look at me." Bella raised her head and looked up at Edward timidly. "I know we don't know each other all that well, but please know that that kind of thing doesn't matter to me. Hell, it never would have even crossed my mind if you hadn't brought it up." He brought a hand up to her cheek and ran it slowly down the side of her face. "Besides," he said, "I'm too busy looking at you to care anything about my surroundings. So please don't worry about something silly like that with me. Okay?"

Bella sighed and leaned into Edward's touch. "Okay," she breathed.

Edward smiled and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Okay. Now you had better point me in the direction of your kitchen. Otherwise, I'm going to start kissing you for real and I don't know that I'll be able to stop before we both die from starvation."

Bella couldn't help giggling at his words and led him into the kitchen.

After a quick look through the cabinets and refrigerator, they agreed on pancakes and Edward began mixing up the batter while Bella set the table. Conversation flowed easily as breakfast was prepared and they sat down at the kitchen table together. Bella told Edward more about life in Phoenix and Renee. To her amazement, he seemed honestly interested in what she had to say, asking questions and listening intently. They talked about Dartmouth and other possibilities for college. Edward admitted to being less than skilled in science and gladly accepted Bella's offer to help him out in Biology.

After her second helping of pancakes, Bella insisted she could not eat another bite. Edward gathered up the plates, utensils and glasses and carried them to the sink. He turned on the water and Bella stood quickly.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Edward gave her a strange look. "The dishes."

"Edward, you made breakfast. The least I can do is wash the dishes."

"All right," he said, picking up a dishtowel. "You wash and I'll dry." Bella relented and the two began cleaning up the remnants of breakfast. They worked in comfortable silence and a short time later the dishes were clean and dry.

Bella put the last dish up in the cabinet then closed it and turned back to Edward who was now looking at her a bit nervously. "I'm really sorry to do this to you," he said and Bella felt her heart sink. He was having second thoughts. He wanted to leave. She had known it was too good to be true. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to call Alice. I'm going to need her to bring me some clothes for our sleepover." He looked at her almost shyly. "That is, if it's okay with you if I stay here until tomorrow."

Bella nearly laughed out loud, dizzy with relief that her fears had been in vain. "Of course. You said Alice liked me," she reminded him.

"She does."

"Then what's the problem?"

Edward ran a hand through his hair. "Alice can be quite, um, exuberant. I'm a little afraid for my eardrums when I tell her where I am, quite frankly. Emmett calls her Hurricane Alice, which is pretty accurate – she's definitely a force of nature." He gave Bella a small smile. "I'm used to her, obviously, I just don't want you to be overwhelmed." Bella gave him a look that said he was being melodramatic and he held up his hands. "Hey, I'm just trying to warn you," he told her. "Remember this when she tries to take you on one of her infamous shopping sprees."

Bella rolled her eyes and smiled at him. "Call your sister," she told him. "I'm going to go shower while you're doing that."

Edward watched Bella walk up the stairs, feeling a familiar stirring in his groin at the sight of her backside and the thought of her showering, naked and dripping wet… He groaned as these thoughts began to make his pants feel a little too tight and he tried to shove the images from his mind. His traitorous mind moved on to scenes from the previous night in the closet and he sucked in a sharp breath, quickly digging his cell phone from his bag and hitting speed dial 3 for Alice. His sister's screams should be more than enough to cure what was quickly becoming a growing problem for him.

Edward waited impatiently for Alice to answer, realizing that she may very well not be awake yet. Finally, on the fourth ring, there was the sound of the phone connecting and Alice's sleepy voice came over the line. "You realize I'm going to have to kill you for calling me before 10am on a Saturday," she informed her brother.

"Alice, I need a favor, okay? And whatever you do, don't let mom and dad know I'm on the phone."

His tone of voice seemed to wake Alice and she was suddenly alert. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Jazz or Emmett? Are you all right?"

"Alice, I'm fine," he reassured her. "Just try to stay calm. I'm, uh, I'm actually not with Emmett and Jasper right now," he admitted.

"What do you mean, you're not actually with them? You three were supposed to go camping, weren't you?"

"We were and they did."

"_They_ did. So where are you?" Alice asked suspiciously.

"This is the part where I don't want you to freak out or scream or anything, okay? Please, Alice."

"Where are you?" she asked curiously. "You're not in jail or anything, are you?"

"No, Alice," he sighed. "I'm not in jail. I'm actually, well, I'm standing in Bella Swan's kitchen right now while she is taking a shower." Edward immediately pulled the phone away from his ear and held it at arm's length but the shrieks and squeals coming across the phone line were still crystal clear.

After several moments, Alice seemed to calm down and Edward put the phone back to his ear. "Alice," he began cautiously.

"Edward, oh my God, this is fantastic!" Alice cried and Edward could almost picture her bouncing up and down in the middle of her bed. "What happened? Did you finally tell her how you feel? Are you guys dating now?"

"Alice." Edward held up his hand even though he knew Alice couldn't see him. "If you calm down a minute, I will tell you what happened. And after I do that, I need you to please do me a favor. I need you to bring me some clean clothes and not tell mom and dad where I am, okay?"

Alice agreed readily. "Now tell me the whole story," she demanded.

Edward sighed, steeling himself for more shrieks and questions from the overly excited pixie.

* * *

Bella stepped into the shower and sighed happily as the warm water cascaded down over her. As much as she had enjoyed spending the night with Edward, the fact remained that she had slept on the floor and it felt good to get clean again.

As she massaged the shampoo through her hair, she allowed her thoughts to drift to Edward and the events of the night before. It was beyond incredible, as far as she was concerned. Edward Cullen had kissed her, _her_, boring, shy Bella Swan. And what was even more amazing was that he was still kissing her, still talking to her after they had been freed from the closet. He had _wanted_ to hang out with her and he was sitting in her kitchen this very moment. She almost wanted to pinch herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.

Instead, she hugged herself as she thought of Edward. Edward smiling, laughing, kissing her, holding her. Edward gently caressing her, moving inside of her. She felt the heat start to build low in her belly and took a deep breath as she began to rinse the shampoo from her hair. She knew she should probably change the direction of her thoughts before she needed to make this a very cold shower. It seemed that her brain, however, had no desire to think of anything but Edward and with a resigned sigh, Bella reached over and turned off the hot water. Oh well. At least this way, she was sure not to use all of the hot water before Edward had a chance to shower. Edward. In her shower. Bella groaned and turned the cold water on full blast.

* * *

Downstairs, Alice arrived at about the same time Edward heard the shower turn off upstairs. She almost knocked Edward off his feet with a hug when he opened the front door and Edward groaned to himself. "Alice, please," he said. "I really don't want you scaring Bella."

Alice grinned and followed Edward into the kitchen. "Can you blame me for being excited? I mean, you have liked this girl for so long and I was starting to think you'd _never_ do anything about it. Good thing the universe had other ideas."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Alice."

"No, come on, Edward," Alice said. "What are the odds of something like this happening? It's fate that you two finally got together and it's so awesome. I can't wait to see everyone's face on Monday. We're talking serious jealousy from both genders."

Edward frowned. "Bella doesn't particularly like being the center of attention, Alice," he warned.

Alice shrugged. "I know. But there's not much any of us can do about it once the news gets around."

Edward smiled to himself. "Well, it's most likely already on its way around town. Bella and I ran into Jessica Stanley in the school parking lot this morning when we were leaving. I kind of told her in no uncertain terms that Bella and I were together."

Alice grinned. "I wish I could have seen her face."

"It _was_ pretty funny," Edward agreed. "But maybe if people hear it over the weekend, it won't be so bad on Monday."

Alice gave him a doubtful look. "Well, you know we'll all do whatever we can to help," she told him, referring to Jasper, Rose, Emmett, and herself. "But I'm afraid it's going to be pretty big news, at least for a few days."

"I know," Edward admitted. "I just don't want to cause Bella any problems. People in this town love to talk and I don't want her to have to deal with all of the gossip."

Alice smiled. She knew there was nothing that could really be done to stop the gossip but she couldn't help finding her brother's protective attitude toward Bella kind of adorable.

"Anyway," Edward said, attempting to change the subject. "Did you bring me my clothes? I kind of need to get showered and…" Edward trailed off, his gaze drifting to the entrance to the kitchen at the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. A moment later, Bella appeared in the doorway. Alice smiled to herself at the way Edward and Bella's eyes immediately sought the other, their gazes quickly becoming locked in a trance-like state.

After giving them several moments to gaze at each other, Alice cleared her throat. Bella jumped slightly and Edward frowned at Alice. "Bella, I believe you know my darling sister."

Bella smiled shyly. "Hi, Alice."

In response, Alice gracefully bounded over to Bella and pulled her into a hug. "Hello, Bella!" she said warmly.

Bella looked over at Edward, unsure how she should react to this unexpected display of affection. Edward rolled his eyes at Alice and gently disentangled Bella from the smaller girl's arms, pulling her to stand next to him. His arm slid protectively around her waist and Bella instinctively leaned into the warmth of his body.

Alice smiled as she watched the two of them together. They seemed so comfortable and content as they stood together, Bella's hand covering Edward's as it rested on her hip while Edward looked down at Bella, the look on his face equal parts joy and awe.

"I'm so happy for you guys," Alice said. "I mean, it took you long enough but here you are and it's so great." She turned her gaze squarely on Bella. "If you only knew how long this boy has been mooning over you."

Bella blushed and Edward felt the color rising in his cheeks as well. "Well, look at that, Alice," he said, pretending to check a nonexistent watch on his wrist. "It only took you ten seconds to be embarrassing. I think that may be a new record."

Alice only smiled sweetly at him. "What are sisters for?"

Edward turned the hand that rested on Bella's hip so that he could lace his fingers through hers, gently tracing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. Alice stared at the two of them thoughtfully. Between the way they were behaving and the atmosphere in the kitchen, she was willing to bet her brother had not been entirely truthful in his account of what had happened between the two the previous evening.

She caught Edward's eye and grinned as he motioned toward the door with his eyes. His gaze turned pleading and she nodded slightly. Time to disappear.

"Okay, well I had better go. I'm meeting Rose in a little bit to go shopping. You're welcome to come, Bella," Alice said hopefully.

Bella shot Edward a panicked look, remembering his earlier words, and he couldn't help smiling. "Alice, we were trapped in a closet overnight, Bella's exhausted. The last thing she needs is you dragging her all over creation on one of your marathon shopping trips."

Alice stuck her tongue out at her brother and turned to Bella. "Maybe some other time, then. I have this feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of you."

Bella blushed again. "Bye, Alice," Edward said pointedly.

"Okay, I can take a hint," Alice said. "But if you want your clothes, you're going to have to come out to the car and get them yourself." She grabbed Edward's arm and dragged him to the front door. "Bye, Bella!" she called back. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Alice."

Alice didn't let go of Edward's arm until they were standing at the Volvo. "Okay, you so did not tell me the whole story," she said to him.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked innocently.

Alice crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at her brother. "Don't pull that with me, buddy. I invented that innocent look. I mean that you did not tell me the whole story about what happened between you and Bella in that closet last night. You couldn't keep your eyes or hands off of each other back there. You did _not_ just talk and kiss while you were in there. You had _sex_, didn't you?"

"Alice, shh! Keep your voice down!" Edward pleaded, glancing around to see if anyone had heard Alice's words. When he was satisfied that no one was within earshot, he turned back to her.

"Alice, yes, something more may have happened between Bella and me last night," he admitted quietly. "But it wasn't just sex. I mean, I don't even know how to describe it." His voice took on a dreamy quality and Alice could tell by the look on his face that he was a million miles away. "I always thought she was smart and pretty and all before I really knew her, but those words don't even begin to cover it. She's amazing, brilliant, she's everything I could ever dream of and more than I deserve."

Alice couldn't help smiling at Edward's words. She, like their mother, had had her own concerns about Edward's lack of a love life. She knew he was perfectly okay on his own, but she couldn't help feeling guilty or a bit sad sometimes when she would hang out with Jasper, Emmett, Rose, and Edward and the couples would pair off leaving Edward as the odd man out. She was so ecstatically happy with Jasper and she just wanted Edward to experience love like that for himself. She had known for awhile now how he felt about Bella but she had started to think that she might have to take matters into her own hands to get him to admit his feelings to the girl.

"I'm really happy for you, Edward," Alice said sincerely. "And I'm not going to keep you away from her any longer." She reached into the backseat of the Volvo and pulled out a medium sized duffle bag. "Now go, have fun. I'll handle everything with mom and dad and I'll call you tomorrow after I talk to Jazz, okay?"

"Okay," Edward said, beaming. "Thanks, Alice. You're the best." He gave her a hug before turning and all but running back to the house.

Alice smiled and waited until he was back in the house before climbing back into the Volvo. Time to go get some breakfast and pick up Rose. She couldn't wait to share the news with her best friend that it looked like their group of five had finally expanded to six.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far and all those who wanted "Extracurricular Activities" turned into a full-length story. This is chapter 2 of many, many to come. A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being so awesome and being there every step of the way to bounce ideas off of and to offer up some fantastic ones of her own. This would be impossible if not for her (or it at least wouldn't be very good ;).

* * *

Chapter 2

Bella was waiting for Edward in the living room when he returned. "So," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Mooning over me?"

Edward came and sat next to her on the couch. "I have no idea what Alice was talking about," he said, widening his eyes innocently.

"You don't, huh?"

Edward shook his head. "Nope. Mooning, me?" He snorted. "Now, pining after." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Lusting after." Another kiss. "Wanting desperately." At this, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her until they were both breathless. Edward rested his forehead against Bella's. "Well, those words might begin to cover it."

Bella smiled at him, the familiar giddy feeling running through her at his words. She knew she could quite happily spend the whole day sitting there on the couch in Edward's arms, but she forced herself to stand. "Come on," she said, reaching a hand down to him.

He took her hand, reaching over to grab his duffle bag with his free hand, and stood. "Where are we going?"

"Upstairs."

Edward raised an eyebrow at her, grinning, and Bella felt herself blush crimson once more. "I mean, well, the shower is upstairs," she hastened to explain. "And I thought that now you have clean clothes from Alice you would want to shower and..."

She trailed off, her face still flaming, and Edward took pity on her. "That sounds wonderful," he said, leaning forward to kiss her forehead softly. "As much as I would love to do nothing more than spend the day on the couch with you in my arms, I'm probably starting to smell offensive."

"You smell good to me," Bella answered truthfully, blushing only slightly this time when Edward gave her a knowing grin.

"Lead the way," he told her.

They made their way upstairs and Bella stopped in front of the bathroom. "This is the bathroom," she said unnecessarily, turning on the light.

Edward smiled. "Thanks. I'll try to be quick."

"Take your time," Bella responded, heading down the hallway to her bedroom. The moment she walked into her bedroom, however, something occurred to her. "Oops. Edward?" Edward had already turned the shower on, however, and could not hear her over the water. Bella opened the linen closet in the hall and pulled out the fluffiest, newest looking towel she could find before making her way back to the bathroom door. "Edward?" she called, knocking gently on the door. No response. "Edward?" She cracked the door, cautiously poking her head into the small room.

The curtain pulled back slightly and Bella gasped aloud at the sight before her. Edward's hair was plastered to his head and tiny drops of water caught in his long eyelashes making them look even longer. With her eyes, she traced a rivulet of water as it made its way slowly down his shoulder, over his collarbone, past his well defined abs, and down behind the shower curtain that hung in front of the rest of his body.

"Bella?"

Bella pulled her eyes from Edward's body with a start and met his gaze. "Um, I forgot to give you a towel," she told him, holding it out in front of her. "I'll, um, I'll just leave this on the counter."

Edward grinned. "Okay." He watched as Bella set the towel down and turned to leave. "Bella?" She turned and he motioned her toward him. She approached him and he leaned down to press his lips gently to hers. "Thanks."

She smiled, her knees going weak at the sensation of the watery kiss. "Welcome," she managed. She took a deep breath. "I'll be in my room when you're done," she told him. Realizing how that might sound, she blushed and hurried out of the bathroom without another word. Edward chuckled to himself and closed the shower curtain again. _Good thing her shower curtain isn't see through_, he thought to himself, looking down at his very prominent erection. God, the things that girl could do to him without even trying. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the task at hand, intent on getting out of the shower and having Bella back in his arms as soon as possible.

While Edward showered, Bella made a sweep of her room. She quickly gathered the dirty clothing in her closet and tossed it all into her laundry basket. She brought the basket down to the laundry room, stopping on her way back up to take a quick look in the living room. She folded up the newspaper from the day before where Charlie had left it next to his chair and dumped the whole mess into the recycling bin in the garage.

Quickly surveying the rest of the first floor, she nodded her head in satisfaction before hurrying back upstairs to her room. She closed the door to Charlie's room on her way, noting that the water for the shower was still running.

Back in her bedroom, she surveyed the small room critically. Her dirty laundry was downstairs, there were no bras or panties sticking out of her dresser, her CDs were stacked on the bookcase and her bed was made. Right. So, nothing to do but kill time until Edward got out of the shower, then.

She pulled her copy of Pride & Prejudice from the bookshelf and flopped down on her bed. Rereading this for the 800th time should distract her until Edward was finished. She was only a few pages in when she noticed how heavy her eyelids felt. In the familiar comfort of her bed, the adrenaline and giddiness of the previous night and this morning were starting to wear off and she felt a large yawn building. Maybe she'd just close her eyes for a minute. She had spent the night sleeping on a cold floor, it was only reasonable she'd feel so tired and comfortable in her own bed. Besides, Edward would be out of the shower shortly and then they'd figure out what to do with the rest of their day. It wasn't like she was going to fall asleep or anything...

Edward exited the bathroom, fully dressed and eager to see Bella once more. He walked down the hall to the only open door he saw, calling her name as he walked into the room. "Bella?" He saw that she was curled up on her bed, her back to him. She didn't move at the sound of her name and he set his bag gently on the ground before quietly making his way around the bed so he could see her face. "Bella?" he said again, his voice soft so as not to startle her. She didn't stir and he took a moment to watch her sleep. She looked so peaceful and comfortable, he found he just didn't have the heart to wake her. He stretched and yawned widely. Maybe she had had the right idea. The floor of a supply closet was not exactly the most comfortable bed in the world.

He walked back around to the other side of the bed and eased himself down next to Bella. The moment his body came into contact with hers, she stirred. "Edward?" she murmured.

"Yes, love, it's me," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her from behind and spooning up behind her back.

She smiled sleepily. "Good," she replied, snuggling back against his body. Using his feet, Edward grabbed a lightweight blanket from the foot of the bed and pulled it up and over their bodies. "Didn't mean to fall asleep," she muttered.

"Shh, it's all right, Bella. We'll have a nap and then decide what to do with the rest of the day."

"Okay," she murmured. "Goodnight, Edward. I'm glad you're here with me."

Edward couldn't stop the enormous smile that spread across his face. "Me, too, love," he whispered back. Bella's even breathing told him she was already asleep and with a contented sigh, Edward pulled her closer. He pressed a soft kiss to the exposed skin on the back of her neck and within moments, he, too, was sleeping soundly.

* * *

Bella wasn't sure where she was but she knew she had never been so comfortable nor had she ever felt so safe at any other time in her life. As she stretched slightly, her body came into a warm shape behind her and she froze. Her eyes flew open and she glanced around frantically a moment before she heard a soothing voice in her ear. "Easy, Bella," Edward said softly. "It's just me."

Bella relaxed instantly, turning over onto her other side so that she was facing Edward. "Mmm, hi," she mumbled, snuggling up against his chest.

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Hi. Did you have a nice nap?"

Bella stretched fully this time, pulling back from Edward slightly. "Yes," she said, smiling up at him. "How long was I out?" she asked, rolling over to check her alarm clock. "Geez!" she said, sitting up quickly. "How did we sleep so long?"

"Relax, Bella," Edward said, sitting up next to her. "It was only a couple hours. And it was a very nice nap, if I do say so myself."

"But it's the middle of the afternoon," Bella groaned. "I didn't really want to spend all of my time with you sleeping," she admitted.

"Why, Miss Swan, whatever are you suggesting?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bella swatted him in the shoulder. "Mind out of the gutter," she instructed him. "I was thinking about a movie or a walk or something."

Edward stretched languidly. "A movie sounds great," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll have the whole day and I want to take you somewhere. It's a surprise," he said, anticipating the question as soon as Bella opened her mouth.

She pouted for a minute. "Fine. Movie it is, then." She rose from the bed and walked toward the door. "Oh, and if you're lucky," she said, looking back over her shoulder at him, "we might get around to stuff other than sleeping and movies later."

Edward leapt to his feet and Bella shrieked, running down the stairs as he tore after her. He caught up to her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her and dropping them onto the couch together with her in his lap. "Bella, you will be the death of me," he mumbled, burying his face in her neck.

"Hey!"

He looked up, smiling at the indignant expression on her face. "Trust me, that was a compliment," he assured her, pulling her face down to his for a kiss. The kiss quickly intensified and Bella shifted so that she was straddling Edward's lap. He groaned, wrapping his arms tightly around her back and pulling the upper half of her body flush against his. One hand trailed up into her hair, his hand holding her head firmly in position.

Bella finally pulled away, tentatively trailing light kisses down his throat to his pulse point. Experimentally, she sucked on it gently and heard Edward moan, the vibrations pulsing against her lips. "Bella." His hands slipped under her bottom, shifting her even closer, and she could feel his erection straining against his jeans. She rubbed herself against him, causing both of them to moan at the delicious friction her movements created.

Edward's hand slipped to the hem of Bella's henley and he had just begun trailing his fingers up underneath it when the shrill ring of the phone sounded suddenly from the kitchen. Bella pulled back and she and Edward looked at each other a moment, both trying to get their breathing under control.

"Leave it," Edward groaned, pulling her back to him.

But Bella wiggled out of his arms and stood. "With my luck, it'd be Charlie and he'd come racing home, thinking I'd burned the house down or something. I'll be right back."

Bella skidded around the corner to the kitchen and snatched the receiver from the phone on the wall. "Hello?" She had tried to keep her voice even but knew her ragged breathing had probably given her away.

"Bella? Is that you? Are you all right?"

"Ang?"

"Oh, Bella. Where have you been? Are you all right? You took off this morning without a word, I've been so worried."

It was the most Bella had ever heard the normally quiet girl say at one time. "Ang, yes, I'm fine, I promise," she told her friend.

"But Edward Cullen was in there with you and he was not wearing a shirt! Did he hurt you, Bella?"

"No! Oh, Ang, no, it was nothing like that, I swear!" Bella exclaimed, horrified. "Look, we accidentally got locked in the closet yesterday afternoon. If you hadn't come along, we'd probably still be there. Thanks for that, by the way," she added absently. "But I'm fine. And Edward's fine. In fact," she continued, lowering her voice slightly, "he's in the living room right now. So can I call you later? I'll tell you the whole story, promise."

"When's later?" Angela asked suspiciously.

"Um, tomorrow night?"

Angela sighed. "All right, Bella. I trust your judgement. But please call me as soon as you can, okay?"

"Okay. And thanks, Ang."

Bella hung up the phone and returned to the living room. Edward was sprawled across the couch and he opened his arms to her. She sank gratefully down next to him, leaning against his chest. "Everything all right?" he asked, looping his arms around her waist from behind.

She nodded. "It was Angela. She wanted to make sure I was all right." She paused. "And that you hadn't attacked me or anything."

Edward was torn between laughing at the absurdity of the thought and anger at imagining anyone daring to harm his Bella. "You set her straight, I hope," he said after a moment.

"Well, a little bit," Bella said. "I told her you hadn't done anything wrong. But I promised I'd call her back tomorrow and I know she'll want a better explanation. She's hardly a Jessica Stanley, but she does worry sometimes."

"Well, if you would like to tell her the truth, I am okay with that," Edward said.

Bella twisted her head to look at him. "Are you sure?"

"Only if you talk me up," he teased. She wrinkled her nose at him and he laughed. "No, honestly, if you would like to tell her, it is up to you. She's your best friend. She wouldn't be the first to know, either," he added.

Bella pulled out of his arms and turned to face him fully. "What?"

Edward grimaced. "Yeah, um, Alice somehow figured it out," he told her. "I swear I only told her we were locked in the closet and that we had talked and kissed some. When she dragged me outside, she confronted me and I was too surprised to lie." He looked at Bella worriedly. "Is that okay?"

Bella paused to consider. "Well, I know how close you are. And you're okay with me telling Angela, so it's only fair."

"What about the rest of my siblings?" Edward asked cautiously.

Bella was quiet a few moments. "Are you positive they wouldn't say anything to anyone else?"

Edward didn't hesitate. "I'd bet my life on it. And I wouldn't give them details or anything," he added hastily. "Just that we're together and what happened between us. They don't need to know any more than that."

Bella studied his face carefully a moment. "All right," she finally agreed. "But no one else, okay?"

"Absolutely not," Edward agreed. "Unless you want to tell someone. Personally, I just want to keep you all to myself. Everyone already knows how brilliant and gorgeous you are, I'm not going to tempt them any more by sharing details of your other talents."

Bella grabbed a pillow from the couch and smacked Edward in the chest with it. "Very funny," she said, but she was smiling.

"Who's joking?" Edward asked, pulling her back into his arms. He rested his head against hers, the sweet scent of strawberries and freesia filling his senses. "My beautiful Bella," he murmured. Bella smiled to herself, relishing the feel of Edward's arms around her, his heart beating steadily beneath her ear.

That sat that way for some time before Edward finally broke the silence. "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you want to put on a movie?"

Bella gave a dramatic sigh and pulled out of his arms. "Couldn't think of a better way to tell me your arms were getting tired?" she teased.

"Bella, my arms will never get tired of holding you," he told her. He was smiling but the expression in his eyes was serious and Bella blushed.

"Well, I'm glad," she said boldly. "'Cause I don't think I'll ever get tired of having your arms around me."

"Good," he said, kissing her forehead. "Then let's pick a movie quickly so my arms can get back where they belong."

Bella grinned. "You are so cheesy."

"And you love it," Edward replied, grinning.

They stood from the couch and walked over to the battered entertainment center that housed Bella's sparse collection of DVDs. "I'm not really a chick flick kind of girl," she warned him, pulling the cabinet door open. "So I hope you didn't have your heart set on _Titanic_ or something."

"No _Titanic_?" Edward gasped, a mock pained expression on his face. "What _will_ we watch?" He leaned in next to Bella to read the DVD titles then pulled back, staring at her.

"What?" she asked, suddenly very self-conscious about her movie selection.

"What? _Evil Dead_, _Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, The Mummy_?" He leaned down and kissed her soundly. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any more perfect."

Bella grinned. "Told you I'm not a chick flick kind of girl."

Edward smiled back and pulled out the _Shaun of the Dead_ DVD. "Are you good with this?"

Bella nodded. "I am good with that."

Edward grinned to himself. In truth, he loved the movie, but that was only part of the reason he had picked it. He had watched it so many times with Emmett and Jasper that he could probably do scenes from memory. This way, he wouldn't have to worry about splitting his attention between the movie and the girl who would be in his arms, which in his opinion made it the perfect choice.

Bella set up the DVD player and the couple returned to the couch. Edward lay down first, his back propped against the arm of the couch, and Bella quickly joined him, her back against his chest while his arms wrapped around her waist once more.

* * *

Bella stretched as the end credits rolled. "Somehow, that movie never gets old."

Edward agreed. "Definitely a favorite at my house. I think that among me, Em, Jasper, Rose, and Alice, we could probably do the entire movie from memory."

Bella turned to face him. "Why didn't you say? We could have watched something you hadn't seen so many times."

Edward smiled. "Then I would have actually had to pay attention to the movie and there was something far more important demanding my attention right in front of me."

Bella ducked her head, smiling. A voice in her head screamed at her, "_This is too good to be true! Be careful!_" Bella, in no uncertain terms, told the voice to go to hell. "So, dinner?" she said aloud, looking up at Edward once more.

"Sounds good to me. Do you just want to order a pizza?"

Bella nodded. "What do you like on yours?"

"Mmm, mushrooms and green peppers," Edward replied. "What do you want to get on it?"

"That works for me, too. Sometimes I like pineapple on it, but it really doesn't actually matter what toppings are on it as long as it's not something gross like anchovies or hamburger meat." She shuddered.

"Why doesn't it matter?"

Bella shook her head, standing from the couch. "Trust me. So, one large mushroom and green pepper pizza? And maybe some soda, too – I think we're out."

"Diet Pepsi for me."

Bella agreed. "I'll just get a big one for us to share then. Be right back." She headed into the kitchen to order the pizza and Edward sat up straight on the couch.

It was amazing, Edward reflected, thinking how things could change so much in such a very short time. Only a little more than 24 hours ago, he had been so sure he would only be able to be with Bella in his dreams and fantasies. And yet, now, here he sat, with the real flesh and blood girl in his arms. And she was even more incredible than he could have imagined. He silently thanked whatever higher force had seen fit to allow him to finally be with the girl he loved. _Might want to hold off on telling her that just yet_, he thought to himself. _Don't want to scare her and send her running_. Their relationship was still in the earliest of early stages; that confession probably needed to wait a bit. Still, he knew it was only a matter of time before he told her just how deeply he cared for her.

Bella re-entered the room and found Edward sitting on the couch staring unseeingly at the blank tv screen with a small, happy smile on his face. "Edward?" He looked up at her and his small smile grew into the full on crooked one that Bella loved so much. "Is everything all right?"

He nodded. "Couldn't be better."

She sat down on the couch next to him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Pizza," he said with a straight face. "And zombies."

Bella laughed. "Remind me not to ever ask you about your dreams."

"Who needs dreams," Edward said seriously, draping an arm across her shoulder.

Bella snuggled against his side happily. "Tell me more about your family," she said after a moment.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, running his fingers lazily through a section of her hair.

Bella shrugged. "How do you guys celebrate holidays in your family? Are there traditions that you always follow?"

Edward smiled. "Holidays are a big deal in the Cullen household. I blame Alice, but my mom and Emmett are just as bad as she is sometimes." He launched into a story about previous Christmases and in a matter of moments, Bella was completely engrossed in his tale.

Edward was telling Bella how every year Alice loved going to the toy stores to buy a million toys for the various local charity toy drives for children when they were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Hold that thought," Bella said, rising and heading to the front door. She opened the door and was surprised to find one of her classmates, Aaron Hurley, on her front steps.

"Hey, Bella," he said with an easy smile.

"Hey, Aaron. Wow, um, I didn't know you worked at Mama Rosa's."

Aaron shrugged. "I've already had two older brothers go through college," he told her. "They drilled it into my head that I'm going to need to save up some extra money ahead of time or I'll be living on Ramen noodles." He smiled. "It's not a bad gig. I get to see people I know and my boss gives me free pizza."

"Oh, sorry," Bella said, reaching out to take the pizza from his hand and handing him the bills in her hand. "That's pretty smart," she told him. "Saving up, I mean. I should probably start thinking about that."

Aaron smiled. "Ah, Bella, everyone knows you'll probably go on a full ride anyway," he teased her. "You won't need to worry much." Bella blushed. "Hey, don't be embarrassed, I think it's awesome," he told her honestly. "I wish I was smart enough for a scholarship. Instead, I guess I'll just have to rely on pizza," he added with a wink.

Bella laughed. "Well, that is one way to go," she replied. "Plus, like you said, free food. Excellent perk."

"Yeah, well…" Aaron trailed off suddenly and Bella looked behind her.

Edward had started wondering what was taking so long and couldn't deny that he was more than a little curious when he heard Bella talking and laughing with someone. He came to stand next to Bella, taking the pizza from her with one hand and sliding an arm around her waist. "Hey, Aaron," he said. His voice was friendly but Aaron didn't miss the subtle warning in his eyes.

"Hey, man, good to see you," Aaron said, trying to hide his surprise at the sight of the unlikely couple before him. "Well, I better get back. More hungry people to feed and all that. Night, Bella. Later, Edward."

"Bye," Bella called as Edward shut the door. Edward turned and walked into the kitchen with the pizza and Bella followed. She stood watching him a moment as he pulled out plates and napkins for the pizza. Had Edward been jealous? she wondered. Then she laughed at herself. Yeah, right. Like Aaron had been interested in her. Edward was just hungry and wondering where the food was. They returned to the living room with the pizza, napkins and plates, Bella grabbing a fork from the kitchen for herself.

"Don't tell me you're one of those people who eats her pizza with a fork," Edward said in mock horror.

Bella shook her head. "Just need it to do this," she responded, scraping the cheese off of her pizza and onto the plate.

Edward looked at her in amazement. "You don't like cheese?"

"I love cheese. I just, I don't know, I've always eaten my pizza this way. Usually Charlie eats the cheese. You're welcome to it," she added, folding her now cheeseless pizza in half and taking a bite.

Edward smiled as something occurred to him. "That's why you said it doesn't matter what we get on it," he realized.

Bella nodded. "I'll eat the toppings themselves," she told him, picking up a piece of green pepper and popping it into her mouth. "I just like it better this way."

Edward shook his head in amusement. "You are an interesting girl, Swan," he told her.

She smiled back. "So, tell me more about Cullen holidays. Or tell me about your mom and dad. What are they like? What do they do for a living? Well, I know your dad is a doctor. What does your mom do?"

Edward smiled fondly. "My mom's an architect," he told her. "And my parents are pretty great. They always listen to everyone's side of things before they make a decision and we all know, even Rose and Jasper, that we can go to them about anything."

The two continued to talk, finishing off the pizza quickly as they each told stories about their families and childhoods. When the pizza was finished, they moved back onto the couch, Edward wrapping Bella in his arms once more. He held one of Bella's hands in his and was gently running his fingers along her palm while Bella talked about vacations with Charlie when she interrupted herself with a yawn.

"Come on, let's move this conversation upstairs," Edward said.

"Sorry, I'm not tired, really," Bella protested.

Edward shrugged. "Yeah, but it'll be more comfortable upstairs. We can get changed and hang out in your room and talk."

Bella agreed and stood, pulling Edward up behind her. They quickly cleaned up the remains of their dinner and headed upstairs. Edward offered Bella first turn in the bathroom and she disappeared into the room as Edward continued on to her bedroom. He dug his toothbrush and a pair of pajama pants out of the duffle bag, rolling his eyes when he saw that Alice had conveniently "forgotten" to pack him a t-shirt to wear to bed. He'd have to have a talk with his sister about her "helping" his relationship with Bella.

His thoughts were cut off by Bella's entrance. "It's all yours," she told him.

Edward smiled and headed to the bathroom. "Be right back."

In the bathroom, he washed his face and brushed his teeth, pulling on his pajama pants and leaving on the t-shirt he was currently wearing. He returned to the bedroom and stopped just inside the door, closing it softly behind him. Bella was pulling back the covers on her bed, dressed in short shorts and a camisole and Edward couldn't help letting his eyes roam over her body, entranced by the fluidity of her movements.

She looked up and saw him watching her, smiling at him as her cheeks turned slightly pink. "I figured we'd be pretty comfortable here," she said. She suddenly looked nervous. "But we don't have to. I mean, we can sit on the floor. And if you want to sleep down on the couch or something…"

Edward crossed the tiny room to her side in three strides. "This is perfect," he assured her, kissing her softly. "And I _definitely_ don't want to sleep downstairs on the couch." He sat down on the bed and gently pulled her down next to him. "Is this okay?"

Bella nodded and Edward leaned over, turning off the bedside lamp. He lay down on his back and Bella curled up next to him, pulling the covers over their bodies and resting her head on his shoulder. "This is definitely better than the floor of the bio closet," Edward said, one hand gently stroking Bella's hair, his other hand reaching across to clasp Bella's in his own.

"This is nice," Bella agreed, moving her head to rest on Edward's chest. Edward's scent surrounded her and she inhaled deeply, committing his unique smell to memory. The feeling of Edward's hand in her hair was extremely comforting and Bella's eyes fluttered shut of their own volition.

"Am I losing you?" Edward asked, a smile in his voice.

Bella's eyes flew open and she pulled herself back a little so that she could meet Edward's gaze. "Of course not," she replied. "I already told you I don't want to waste all of my time with you sleeping."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Did you have something else in mind?"

Bella smiled shyly. "I might." She reached a hand up to the side of Edward's face, gently cupping her palm against his cheek. In the faint light from the moon and the streetlamps outside, she could see her own feelings mirrored in Edward's eyes and she leaned up to press a soft kiss to his lips. Her lips left his and she began trailing feather light kisses up his jawline. Remembering how he had reacted the night before, she nibbled gently on his ear, his moan and the sudden hardness pressing against her leg letting her know that last night's reaction had not been a fluke. She shifted a bit then, moving to press a soft kiss to the sensitive spot behind his ear.

Edward growled and pulled her lips down to his in a forceful kiss. Bella's lips parted willingly beneath his and his tongue entered her mouth, intensifying the kiss. "The death of me, I swear," Edward mumbled, trailing kisses down Bella's throat to her collarbone.

Bella ran her hands down Edward's back, her fingers tugging at the hem of his shirt. Edward removed his lips from Bella's skin for an instant, allowing her to pull his shirt over his head. He quickly returned the favor, sending her camisole flying, before locking his arms around her again. Bella sighed into Edward's mouth at the incredible feeling of their bare chests pressed together. She scraped her nails lightly down his back, thrilling in the guttural moan this elicited from Edward.

Edward reached his hands down to cup her bottom, pulling her flush against him so that her core was pressed to his erection. Bella gasped, rubbing herself against him in an effort to soothe the ache that was swiftly building between her legs. Edward groaned and grabbed the waistband of her shorts, pulling both shorts and panties down in one quick movement.

He slid a finger into Bella's wet center, capturing her moan of pleasure with his mouth as his lips claimed hers again. "So beautiful," he whispered against her lips, sliding another finger in to join the first. Bella's hips bucked against his fingers and he began to stroke her gently.

Bella pressed herself onto Edward's fingers, needing more. She moved her hands to the waistband of his pajama pants, gently tugging them down past his knees. Edward made quick work of them, sliding them off the rest of the way and knocking them to the floor.

Continuing to writhe against him, Bella reached down and took his large erection in her hand. Edward swore he felt his heart stop for a moment as Bella's tiny hand encircled his cock and began to slide up and down at a torturously slow pace. His fingers pressed a little harder than usual against Bella's clit and she yelped.

Edward pulled back immediately. "God, Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Bella cut him off, pressing her small hand gently against his mouth. "You didn't. It feels incredible. But I need you inside of me. Now."

Edward swore he felt his cock get even harder and he growled low in his throat, crushing his lips to Bella's in a wildly passionate kiss. He pulled back after a moment and grinned wickedly. "Want to be on top this time?"

Even in the soft light of the moonlight spilling through the window, Edward could see the faint blush that spread its way across Bella's bare skin and his eyes roamed over her body. "You know, I didn't think that could get any sexier," he murmured, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. His eyes met hers again.

"Um," Bella began nervously. "I don't know what I'm doing, Edward. I mean, I never, before you and I-"

"Bella, it's all right," Edward said, cutting her off with a gentle finger to her lips. "I never had before you, either, remember? And you don't have to. I don't want you to do anything that will make you uncomfortable." He kissed her tenderly and Bella melted against him.

Edward started to shift them so that Bella would be on her back but to his surprise, he felt Bella's tiny hands pushing against his shoulders. "Bella?" He pulled back, afraid that he had done something wrong and she wanted to stop.

But stopping was the furthest thing from Bella's mind at that moment. "You said I could be on top," she said, bringing her legs around to straddle Edward's prone body.

"So I did," he murmured. She raised herself over his erection a little hesitantly and he reached his hands down to her hips. "It's okay," he said gently. "We'll go slow." Bella smiled down at him and then began to lower herself onto him.

She gasped as Edward first entered her and he instantly stilled his movements until she met his gaze to let him know it was okay. Edward kept his hands on her waist and lowered her fully onto him, the two moaning simultaneously at the incredible feeling of this new position.

Bella's hands pressed against Edward's chest, pressing her breasts together as she positioned herself above him and found her balance. After a moment, she began rocking her hips forward, delighting in the new sensations this position created. Edward's hands remained at her waist, guiding her as she found her rhythm and sped up her movements.

They rocked back and forth, meeting thrust for thrust and Edward knew he was close. He slipped a hand down between their bodies, his thumb finding her clit. He began to stroke, gently at first but quickly picking up in intensity. "Edward," Bella gasped.

"Cum for me, love," Edward murmured. "Cum, my beautiful Bella."

"Edward!" A final rough stroke from Edward's thumb sent her over the edge and Edward watched the gorgeous creature above him in wonder.

Her head was thrown back, her lips slightly parted as she chanted his name over and over like a prayer. Edward had never seen anything more erotic as Bella rode out her orgasm above him and with a final thrust, he joined her in release, groaning her name.

They lay a few moments in each other's arms, completely spent. Finally, Bella slid off of Edward and curled up next to his side.

"God, Bella," Edward groaned, nuzzling her neck gently. "You are incredible, you know that?"

Bella smiled dreamily, loving the feel of Edward's arms around her and his lips on her throat. "So are you," she murmured.

Edward drew back slightly so that he could pull Bella into his arms. "I never would have thought being locked in a closet overnight could turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Mmm," Bella murmured, snuggling against Edward's chest. "Give you a new appreciation of Biology, did it?"

"And then some," Edward responded, pulling Bella closer.

Bella giggled. "Goodnight, Edward," she said sleepily.

"Sweet dreams, love," he whispered into her ear.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being so awesome and being there every step of the way to bounce ideas off of and to offer up some fantastic ones of her own. This would be impossible if not for her (or it at least wouldn't be very good ;). Calling her a beta is nowhere near enough – more of collaborator, muse, and shrink all in one!

Edward opened his eyes, slightly disoriented and with the remnants of a dream at the edge of his consciousness. He remembered that he had been lying in a field with Bella and the smell of flowers still lingered in his nostrils. Then his vision cleared and he focused on the warm body in his arms, a large smile spreading across his face as he realized it hadn't been a dream after all. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the strawberry and freesia fragrance as his arms pulled her closer to him.

Bella mumbled something in her sleep, stretching as she pushed her back against Edward's chest. She stopped, startled a moment, before the fog in her brain cleared. "Morning," she said softly, gently squeezing one of his hands as it rested on the covers over her.

Edward pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"Like the dead." Bella rolled over to face him, giggling at his rumpled appearance. "Nice bed head," she teased.

"Look who's talking," he returned with a smile, reaching out a hand to gently stroke her hair back from her face.

She wrinkled her nose at him and he laughed. "So, what are we doing today?" she asked around a yawn.

Edward smiled. "It's a surprise, remember? But I guess we should get up and shower so we can get going."

"Okay. Do you want first shower or should I go?" Bella asked as she started to shift to get out of bed. She pulled one leg from under the covers before looking down and realizing she was still naked. She froze, blushing to the roots of her hair. _Now what?_ she panicked. It was one thing being naked when they were in the middle of something like they had been last night. Then, in Edward's arms, she had felt uninhibited and even sexy. But now, in the bright morning light shining through the window, Bella was gripped by insecurity.

"Why don't I take first shower and you can rest some more," Edward suggested, wrapping the covers more snugly around Bella.

Bella smiled gratefully, knowing Edward had sensed her discomfort. "Sounds good to me," she told him.

Edward grabbed his pajama pants from the floor and quickly pulled them on while Bella did her best not to stare. "I'll be back," he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Don't get too comfortable – we should go soon so we have the whole day."

"I can't wait," Bella answered honestly. Edward smiled, grabbing his duffle bag on his way to the bathroom. Once she heard the bathroom door shut, Bella sat up in bed and looked around for her pajamas. She found her shorts and panties quickly, balled up together at the side of the bed. It took her a little longer to find her camisole and she blushed when she finally located it across the room on her rocking chair. _How on earth did it get all the way over here_? she wondered to herself, hurrying to retrieve the garment. She quickly redressed before dropping onto her bed and happily crawling back under the covers.

Stretching slowly, she rolled over from her pillow to rest her head on the one next to it. Edward's scent lingered on the pillow and she inhaled deeply, reveling in the heady masculine scent. She pulled the covers up under her chin with a large smile on her face. This was amazing. Edward was amazing. And the things he could do with his body, well… Bella's thoughts drifted to memories of the night before and before she knew it, Edward had returned.

"You look happy," he observed, crawling across the bed to her.

"Do I?" Bella said innocently. "Can't imagine why that might be."

"No?" Edward said, lying down next to her and pulling her into his arms. "Could it possibly be the same reason I am so very happy this morning?"

"Would that be pancakes?" Bella teased. "Because if it is, then yes, it's the same reason."

Edward growled, pulling Bella to him. "Screw pancakes," he said, kissing her soundly.

Bella started to kiss him back before something occurred to her and she quickly pulled free of Edward's arms. "What's wrong?" he asked, bewildered by her actions.

Bella put a hand over her mouth. "I haven't brushed my teeth," she mumbled. "I have morning breath."

Edward laughed and pulled her to him again. "Screw morning breath, too," he told her. "I didn't notice."

Bella pressed a quick kiss to Edward's lips before pulling back again. "Yeah, but I know it's there," she told him. "And you've had a chance to brush your teeth already, so it's hardly fair."

She stood up and Edward groaned. "Forget what I said," he told her. "We don't need to go anywhere. Let's just stay right here all day."

Bella smiled, reaching a hand down to gently stroke his perpetually messy hair. "I'll be quick," she promised. "Then we can get going."

"Fine," Edward said, his bottom lip pushed out in a mock pout.

She smiled fondly. "Silly. I'll be right back."

When Bella returned to her room after her shower, she found Edward still on her bed. However, the bed was now made and he was sitting on top of the covers reading her copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. "You didn't have to clean up my room, you know."

Edward put down the book and smiled at her. "All I did was make the bed," he told her. "And since I helped make that mess, I think it's only fair." Bella smiled back as he stood and walked over to her. "Ready to go?" he asked, picking up his duffle bag from the bed.

"Yep. Just want to make a quick sweep so there's no evidence when Charlie comes home."

"Good idea," Edward agreed, following Bella downstairs.

Bella quickly checked the rooms and had just finished pulling on her sneakers when Edward spoke again. "Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

Bella froze where she stood at the kitchen table. She had known that, thanks to her mother's teasing, but she had also kind of hoped it was something she would have outgrown by now. "Should I even ask what I said?" she asked. "Or do I really not want to know?" She tried to keep her tone casual but she knew she was failing miserably as the telltale blush crept across her cheeks.

"You said my name."

Bella closed her eyes, her skin flushing even deeper red. "Anything else?"

Edward smiled, moving to her side and reaching out his hand to brush it tenderly down her face. "You asked me to stay," he told her softly. Bella's eyes opened and she looked at him shyly. "I was more than happy to oblige," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her. Their lips had only just touched when Edward's cell phone beeped from his pocket. Looking at Bella apologetically, he pulled the phone out and flipped it open to find a text message from Alice. "Look on the front steps."

"Now what?" he muttered, more than a little apprehensive at the cryptic message from his sister.

Bella looked at him, puzzled. "What's going on?"

Edward sighed. "Alice. I'll be right back," he told her, making his way to the front door. He opened the door and looked down as the screen door bumped into something. He stepped outside and saw a medium sized basket with a lid sitting on the steps. An envelope sat on top of the basket addressed to Edward and Bella and Edward recognized Alice's handwriting. Shaking his head, he picked it up and pulled out a short note from his sister.

"Gotta have lunch for your picnic! I talked to Jazz and they will call you when they are on their way home. Have fun and say hi to Bella for me." It was signed, "Your loving sister. P.S. Don't forget to bring a blanket!"

Bella appeared at Edward's shoulder. "What's that?"

Edward turned and gave Bella a rueful smile. "Alice called while you were in the shower and I told her where I was taking you today." He bent down and picked up the basket. "Apparently, she decided we needed to bring lunch with us."

He lifted one side of the lid and they both peered into the basket. "Wow," Bella murmured. The basket was packed to full capacity with food including sandwiches, fruit, brownies, pasta salad and a thermos of something.

Edward shook his head again. "Alice never does anything on a small scale, that's for sure," he said, a reluctant smiling tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like we're all set, then."

"One more thing," Edward said. "Do you have a blanket for our picnic?"

Bella smiled. "Let me just grab one from upstairs. I'll be right back." She quickly made her way upstairs and in moments had returned with a faded quilt. "Okay, ready."

"Wait." Edward took the quilt from her and set it down on top of the basket. "One more very important thing."

"What's that?"

Edward took her by the hand and pulled her to him. He bent toward her and Bella's breath caught as she felt him gently nuzzling her neck. "Bella?" His voice came out low against her throat and Bella shivered at the vibrations from his mouth.

"Yes?" she answered breathlessly.

He pulled his head up and looked her straight in the eye. "Did you brush your teeth?"

"What?" Bella burst out laughing. "You're ridiculous."

"I'll take that as a yes," Edward murmured. Bella's laughter was cut off abruptly as Edward captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Bella kissed him back this time, her hands reaching up to tangle in his hair as she pulled herself even closer to him. Edward's hands curved around the small of her back, one hand sliding up under her t-shirt to stroke the warm skin there, and Bella moaned into his mouth at the contact.

Eventually, Edward pulled back, his breathing ragged. "We really don't have to go anywhere," he told her, resting his forehead against hers.

Bella smiled. "But what about all the trouble Alice went to for our picnic?"

Edward groaned and began kissing her neck again. "We can have a picnic in your room," he murmured between kisses. "A lot cleaner, no bugs, no rocks to worry about sitting on."

Bella giggled and reached up a hand to his face, stilling his movements. "I thought you were excited to take me somewhere," she reminded him gently.

Edward pulled back and closed his eyes, letting out his breath in a woosh. "I know, you're right," he told her. "I blame you for being so damn tempting." He smiled at Bella and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before leaning down to pick up the quilt and picnic basket. He held out a hand to Bella and she took it, entwining her fingers with his. She picked up Edward's duffle bag with her other hand and the two made their outside way to Bella's truck.

As Edward was the one who knew where they were actually going, Bella handed her keys over to him and allowed him to drive her ancient truck. They drove along in a comfortable silence for about 20 minutes before Edward turned off onto a dirt path. The path suddenly ended at a wall of trees and Edward stopped the truck and turned it off.

"We're here," he told her, turning to smile at her excitedly.

His excitement was contagious and Bella couldn't help smiling back. "Where exactly is here?"

"Somewhere I like to go sometimes to be alone," he told her. He exited the truck and quickly came around to her door, opening it for her and helping her out of the truck. Then he reached past her and pulled out the picnic basket and quilt. He piled them on one arm and took Bella's hand in his. "Ready?"

Bella nodded. "Lead the way."

They stepped into the forest and within moments Bella felt like they were in a different world. The thick canopy of trees filtered out much of the early spring sunlight and the only sounds she could hear were the chattering of squirrels and the cries of birds in the trees above them.

About five minutes into their walk, Bella felt Edward squeeze her hand. "This is it," he told her, pulling her gently behind him. They stepped through the trees and Bella couldn't help the small gasp that left her lips. They were standing in a meadow surrounded on all sides by the tall trees of the forest. Here, the forest canopy thinned out and the sun shone softly down into the area. There were several separate patches of wildflowers in the clearing and a feeling of peaceful calm surrounded them.

"This place is gorgeous," Bella said in awe. "How did you ever find it?"

"Emmett, Jasper, and I like to go running," he told her. "Once, we ended up out this way and just kind of stumbled across it."

"Running." Bella wrinkled her nose.

"Not a runner, huh?" Edward asked.

Bella shook her head. "I fall down a lot," she mumbled.

Edward laughed softly at the chagrined expression on Bella's face and she scowled at him. "We can't all be star varsity athletes," she said, her tone a little more acidic than she had intended.

Edward immediately stopped laughing. "I'm sorry," he said, looking contrite. "I didn't mean to laugh at you. And you don't have to worry about falling when I'm around – I'll always be there to catch you."

Bella's expression softened and she leaned up to kiss him softly. "Okay, you're forgiven," she said when she pulled away, a tender smile gracing her features.

"Thank you," Edward said, squeezing her hand gently. "Now, we need to pick a place to set up our picnic."

"How about there?" Bella asked, pointing to a patch of grass that was partially shaded by a small stand of trees behind it.

"Perfect." They made their way across the meadow to the chosen spot and Bella took the quilt from Edward's arms, unfolding it and spreading it across the grass at their feet. Edward set the picnic basket down before dropping down to the blanket and holding his arms out to Bella. She went readily to him, Edward's arms already her new favorite place to be.

The next few hours passed quickly for the couple as they talked and continued to get to know each other. Edward started asking Bella about her favorite songs, bands, and movies and soon they were both asking the other about their favorites in various categories. Edward eventually remembered their picnic lunch and the two unpacked the food from the basket, spreading it out on the blanket in front of them. They had each worked up quite an appetite through all of their talking and had soon devoured the contents of the basket.

"That was really good," Bella said, wiping her hands on a napkin. "Remind me to thank Alice when I see her."

Edward agreed, putting his hand on his stomach. "I think I'm about to go into a food coma, though," he admitted with a smile.

"Me, too," Bella said. "Or I would be if I weren't so afraid to fall asleep."

"Why is that?"

"You've already witnessed me talking in my sleep once," she replied. "I don't really want to give you a repeat performance."

Edward smiled. "Bella, please don't be embarrassed about that. I certainly didn't mind. In fact, I rather enjoyed it."

Bella groaned, putting her hands over her face. Edward gently tugged her hands away from her face. "If I tell you something, do you think you won't be embarrassed anymore?"

"I doubt it," she muttered.

Edward rested his weight on his elbow, looking down at Bella. "I talk in my sleep, too," he confessed.

Bella swatted him in the shoulder. "Liar."

Edward shook his head. "I swear. I didn't know I did it, either, until Emmett told me on Friday." He grimaced, his face flushing slightly. "Apparently, that's how he knew I had feelings for you without me telling him directly."

Bella's eyes grew wide. "So you're saying…"

Edward smiled. "I'm saying Emmett heard me talk about you while I was asleep. And believe me, he's not going to let me forget it, either."

"Really?" Bella asked, unable to deny the little thrill that ran down her spine at Edward's confession.

Edward nodded. "Really," he confirmed. He reached out and took one of her hands in his, entwining their fingers. "So it looks like we're quite the verbose pair when we're asleep. Must've been meant to be."

Bella giggled. "Must have," she agreed. Edward leaned down to kiss her softly then lay back on the quilt, pulling Bella against his side.

"So, food coma, then?" he asked, running a hand gently up and down her bare arm.

"Food coma," Bella agreed, snuggling up close against his side.

Edward pressed a soft kiss to her hair. "Sweet dreams, love," he murmured. Bella smiled, sighing in contentment as she allowed sleep to overtake her.

An hour later, the ringing of Edward's phone pulled the couple from their nap. Edward dug one hand into his pocket, his other arm still firmly around Bella. "Hello?" he mumbled.

Emmett's booming voice came from the phone loudly enough for Bella to hear him from her place at Edward's side. "Hey, Edward," he said cheerfully. "Alice told me to give you a call when we were getting ready to leave so we could pick you up on the way home. That still the plan?"

Edward rubbed a hand across his eyes. "Yeah, do you guys just want to meet me at Greenville Park?"

"Greenville Park?" Emmett sounded confused. "Why don't we just pick you up at Bella's house?"

Edward sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "Because, Emmett, I really don't want to have to explain to the chief of police what I'm doing at his house with an overnight bag, alone with his only daughter."

"Good point," Emmett acknowledged. "Okay, we're about to leave here. Meet you at the park in half an hour, give or take?"

"I'll see you guys there. Thanks, Em. I owe you one."

"Consider this one a gift," Emmett teased. "See you later."

Edward closed his phone and turned to Bella. "That was Emmett."

"I heard," she said wryly.

"He _is_ a bit on the loud side, isn't he?" Edward asked rhetorically, a grin on his face. "He said he and Jasper are getting ready to come back into town so I told them I'd meet them at Greenville Park."

Bella nodded. "So I guess that means we have to go, huh?" she said sadly.

"Yeah, I guess we do," Edward said reluctantly. He turned on his side to face Bella, wrapping his free arm around her and pulling her to him. "How much trouble do you think I'd get in with Chief Swan if we just stayed here?" Edward murmured against the top of her head.

"Mmm, probably too much for it to be worth it for you," she told him even as she cuddled closer to his side.

Edward pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "You're wrong," he told her. "It would be worth every bit of trouble for a few more minutes with you here in my arms."

Bella smiled and leaned up to press her lips to his. "I don't want to go, either," she told him when they eventually parted.

Edward pressed his forehead to hers. "Guess that means we'll just have to come back here very soon."

"Sounds good to me," Bella agreed.

With a sigh, Edward finally pulled back from Bella and the two stood up. Edward shook the quilt and refolded it while Bella made sure the remains of their picnic had been cleaned up. Edward reached out and took her hand. "Thank you for sharing this place with me," Bella said, looking up into Edward's face with a smile.

He smiled back tenderly. "I've never shown it to anyone before," he admitted. "I was waiting for the right person." He reached out a hand to gently slide it through her hair before pulling her to him for a kiss.

Bella responded eagerly, dropping the picnic basket to the ground and wrapping her arms around Edward's neck. Edward growled low in his throat and slid his hands under her bottom, scooping her up in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him back hungrily as she slid her hands underneath his shirt and gently scraped her nails down his back. Edward's body twitched and he pulled Bella closer with a moan.

Bella shifted eagerly in Edward's arms, trying to lock her legs behind his back. The next thing she knew, Edward was flat on his back with her sprawled across his chest. "Oops," she mumbled, ducking her head as a dark blush crept across her cheeks.

Edward chuckled and lifted her chin with his fingers. "I guess we both got a little carried away," he said with a smile. "Again, Bella, I blame you for being so tempting."

Bella rolled her eyes and stood, reaching down a hand to help Edward to his feet. "I guess we really should go," she said, her skin still flushed.

Edward squeezed her hand, reaching down to take the picnic basket from her and draping the quilt over it. "We'll come back soon," he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Bella smiled and together they made their way back to the truck.

Bella was still feeling a little dazed from the passionate kiss and allowed Edward to drive them to Greenville Park. When they got there, Emmett and Jasper had not yet arrived and the two climbed out of the truck. They stood together at the edge of the parking lot and surveyed the empty park before them.

Suddenly, Bella gasped as something caught her eye. "Swings!" she said excitedly, running over to the swingset.

Edward followed behind her, smiling at her enthusiasm. "I take it you're a fan?"

"I love swings," Bella told him. "It's like flying."

"Do you need me to push you?" Edward asked as she eagerly sat down on the swing.

Bella shook her head and pushed off with her feet. "That's part of the fun," she told him, pumping her legs. "Seeing how high you can get on your own."

Edward smiled tenderly as he watched her. She was the embodiment of joy and innocence as she flew through the air, her happiness completely unrestrained. The swing quickly climbed higher and Bella closed her eyes, her expression blissful as her hair blew around her face. Edward pulled his phone out of his pocket, wishing fervently that he had his real camera with him.

He snapped a picture with his phone and Bella opened her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, come on! Aren't you going to swing, too?"

Edward laughed and sat down on the swing next to her. "Bet I can get higher than you," he teased.

Bella narrowed her eyes. "You haven't got a prayer, Cullen."

Edward laughed again. "And…go!" he said, pushing off suddenly.

"Cheater!" Bella cried in mock outrage. She pushed off as well and quickly began pumping her legs. Soon, she was swinging higher than Edward, so high that she was nearly parallel to the ground.

Edward dragged his feet to stop, still laughing. "Okay, okay, I give!" he told her, a little worried that she was going to fall off of the swing at that height and hurt herself.

Bella slowed her pumping but continued swinging. "Say it," she instructed him.

"Okay, you win, Bella. Your swinging skills are far superior to mine," he told her with a straight face.

Bella dragged her toes on the ground to stop herself as well. "Damn right," she teased, as her swing finally slowed to a stop next to his.

"Didn't know you were so competitive, Swan," Edward teased, swinging lazily toward her. Any comment Bella might have made was cut off by Edward's lips against hers. Using one hand, he gripped onto the chain of her swing to anchor himself, bringing his other hand up to gently cup her cheek.

Bella would have been content to continue kissing Edward all night. Unfortunately, it seemed the universe had other plans. The sound of a honking horn and someone yelling caused them to draw apart and look toward the parking lot.

"Emmett," Edward said with a sigh.

A large jeep had pulled up next to Bella's truck and parked in the space next to it. Emmett and Jasper exited the van as Bella and Edward stood, walking to meet them near the edge of the parking lot.

"Hey, guys!" Emmett called.

Edward squeezed Bella's hand as they stopped before his brothers. "Bella, I think you know Emmett and Jasper."

"Hi," Bella said shyly.

"Hi, Bella," Emmett said, grinning. Jasper smiled at her in greeting and said hello as well.

"Did you guys have fun this weekend?" Bella asked politely.

"Not as much fun as you guys, I'm betting," Emmett said with a smirk.

Bella blushed and Jasper rolled his eyes, smacking Emmett upside the back of the head as he stepped forward. "Ow," Emmett whined. "The hell was that for?"

"Sorry about him, Bella," Jasper said. "We think Emmett was dropped on his head as a baby." He looked to his friend and then back to Bella. "Repeatedly."

Bella couldn't help giggling, Jasper's friendly attitude and teasing tone instantly putting her at ease. "That's okay," she replied.

"You should come camping with us all sometime," Jasper told her. "Sometimes Alice and Rose come, too, and so do Esme and Carlisle, so there are chaperones."

Bella smiled and looked at Edward who grinned and nodded at her enthusiastically. "Sounds like fun," she told them. "I'm not really a camping girl, but I'd love to go."

"Excellent," Emmett boomed. "Well, I hate to be the one to break up this love fest, believe me, I really do, but we had better get home before mom starts to worry."

Edward nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he said.

He turned to Bella but before he could say anything, Emmett pulled Bella away from Edward and into a bone-crushing hug. "Bye, Bella," he said cheerfully. "It was nice to finally get to really meet the girl my brother's been drooling over since she moved here."

Jasper rolled his eyes again and pulled Emmett off of Bella. "You. Car. Now," he instructed, pointing Emmett toward the jeep. Emmett just grinned and waved at Bella before turning and walking back to the jeep and climbing into the driver's seat.

Taking in her red face, Jasper smiled gently at Bella. "Bella, it was very nice to see you outside of school. We'll see you tomorrow." He turned his attention to Edward. "We'll be in the jeep whenever you're ready. I'll try to keep Emmett on his best behavior, but no promises." Edward rolled his eyes and Jasper laughed. "Bye, Bella," he said.

"Bye, Jasper," she replied shyly.

Edward watched as Jasper returned to the jeep and climbed in. When he was sure the two boys were safely out of earshot, he turned back to Bella. "Still think it's so nice to have brothers and sisters?" he asked, but he was smiling as he said it.

Bella smiled back. "You're very lucky. So, do you think Emmett approves?" she joked.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Sorry about that. That's just the way Emmett is."

Bella shrugged. "It's okay. I'm glad he feels comfortable around me."

"You may change your mind when he does other comfortable things around you," Edward teased, taking her hand in his again as they began to walk to her truck.

Edward opened the driver's side door for Bella and helped her into the truck. She picked up the picnic basket and Edward's duffle bag from the passenger's side floor and handed the items to him. They stood staring at each other a moment, neither wanting to be the one to say goodbye first.

Edward stepped closer to where she sat in the driver's seat and cupped her face in his hand. "Thank you, Bella," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For the best weekend of my life," he said seriously.

Bella smiled. "It was for me, too," she replied honestly. "I'm just sorry it's over already."

She blushed but Edward smiled as he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "The weekend may be over, but I'm afraid you're still going to be stuck with me."

Bella smiled back. "Good," she said softly.

Edward leaned forward and met her lips with his own. The instant Edward's lips touched hers, Bella forgot that she should be getting home before Charlie did. She forgot that Edward's brother and best friend were sitting just a few feet away. She forgot everything but the delicious feeling of Edward's lips moving softly against her own.

Eventually, they parted and Edward reluctantly pulled back. "You should go," he told her. He took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Bella's smile was wistful. "Tomorrow. Bye, Edward."

"Bye, my beautiful Bella," he replied with a gentle smile. He closed the door to her truck and stood waiting as she started the truck. She waved as she drove away and when he could no longer see her truck, Edward finally turned to the jeep. Jasper was pointedly looking in the opposite direction but Emmett looked back at Edward with a wicked smile.

"Don't even say it," Edward said before Emmett could open his mouth.

"What?" Emmett said innocently. "I wasn't going to say anything. Just that I can see why Alice was so damn hyper when we talked to her before. You guys are so cuuuuute," he teased in a singsonging voice.

Edward rolled his eyes but he couldn't help smiling as he leaned back against the seat. Emmett could tease all he wanted. The important thing was that he and Bella were together. Finally. And he knew he wasn't about to let her go anytime soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: I'm sorry this chapter took so long. Real life has done its level best to delay me - I moved house this weekend and have had a terrible cold for the last few days. The chapter also ended up being longer and more detailed than originally planned, which is why it ends in a place I hadn't originally set it to. Hopefully, it will still work and y'all will enjoy it. And hopefully line breaks on will work and stop messing with my formatting. Thanks as always to everyone who reviews, to twilight-is-lovee for her awesomeness, and a special thanks to my angst-queen beta/co-conspirator goo82. You're the best, girl!

* * *

Chapter 4

Bella rolled over and smacked the snooze button on her alarm clock. Monday. Ugh. Why was the weekend always so short? Suddenly, the fog cleared from her brain and she sat straight up in bed. The weekend. Edward. She practically leapt from her bed, suddenly very anxious to get to school.

She hastened through her morning routine, slowing down only slightly to choose her outfit. She decided on jeans and a deep blue blouse and dressed quickly. She pulled on her sneakers, applied a touch of mascara, and hurried downstairs for breakfast.

Charlie was already finishing his breakfast when Bella entered the kitchen. "Morning," she said, pulling a bowl and her box of cereal from the cabinet.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at his daughter's cheerier than normal tone. "Morning, Bells," he said easily. "You seem pretty chipper this morning."

Bella sat down at the table and began to eat her cereal. "Do I?" she said innocently. "Guess I'm just happy it's finally getting to be spring around here."

Charlie looked skeptical but didn't push the issue. Even though Bella rarely complained about it anymore, he knew very well how much she missed the sunny weather of Phoenix so her explanation was entirely plausible. "All right, sweetheart." He folded up his newspaper and put his coffee mug and plate in the sink. "You have a good day."

"You, too, dad," Bella replied. Charlie walked out the door and moments later she heard his cruiser start and drive away. She shoveled down the rest of her breakfast then placed her dirty dishes in the sink and hurried back upstairs to grab her book bag from her room.

Maybe she should try to find Angela before school, she thought as she came back downstairs with her bag. She really hadn't had much of a chance to talk to her friend the night before as Charlie had arrived home only moments after Bella herself had. All she had really been able to tell Angela was that she and Edward were together and she would try to explain everything soon. Angela had still been a little concerned but had understood that Bella was in no position to talk about it with her father right there. After promising not to tell anyone about finding the couple in the closet and telling Bella she would see her tomorrow, they had gotten off of the phone and Bella had gone to prepare dinner.

She wished she had had a chance to give Angela the whole story before she had to face everyone else at school today. She groaned quietly as she thought of the reactions they would probably receive from their classmates. Even though Jessica had probably already spread the news far and wide, thereby preparing everyone to see the two of them together, Bella knew that she and Edward were definitely going to be garnering quite a bit of attention over the next few days.

She opened the front door, preoccupied with thoughts of the upcoming gossip she was sure to face at school, and nearly jumped out of her skin when she came face to face with Edward. He had his hand raised as he had been about to knock when Bella opened the door and he quickly lowered it. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Bella couldn't help smiling at him. "That's okay. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was hoping you would let me drive you to school," Edward said with a shy smile, gesturing to his silver Volvo parked in her driveway.

Bella melted. He really was just the sweetest guy she had ever met. "I'd like that," she told him honestly. She stepped out the front door, locking it behind her, and followed Edward to his car. He opened the passenger door for her, shutting it behind her when she was settled.

Edward walked around to his side, unable to keep the smile off of his face. He was glad Bella was letting him take her to school, his reasons behind wanting to drive her being twofold. He had been anxious to be with her again, that was a given. But he also knew the kind of scrutiny they were going to face when they arrived at school and he felt a need to protect her as much as he possibly could from all of the gossip and the stares of their classmates.

He climbed into the car, pulling the door closed behind him. Then he turned to Bella. "How are you today?"

Bella smiled. "Surprisingly good for a Monday. You?"

Edward grinned. "Never better." He leaned across the console to kiss her sweetly. When they separated, he smiled at her, one hand still resting on her cheek. "Good morning," he said with a gentle smile.

Bella beamed. "Morning."

"I've been waiting to do that since you drove away last night," Edward confessed.

Bella blushed and looked down at her lap. "Now you're just being silly," she mumbled.

Edward lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I think you're underestimating the effect you have on me," he told her seriously. He captured her lips with his own again and she sank against him with a sigh, sliding her arms around his neck.

Eventually, they parted and Edward rested his forehead against Bella's. "This is one Monday morning routine I could definitely get used to," he told her.

Bella smiled, one hand gently playing with the hair at the base of his scalp. "Me, too."

Edward closed his eyes, sighing contentedly as Bella continued to play with his hair. "You have no idea how good that feels," he told her. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then pulled back. "And if you don't stop, we're never going to get to school."

Bella flushed and put her hands in her lap. "I'll be good," she promised as Edward started the car.

"Well, I didn't say _that_," Edward said, reaching over and taking her hand in his. He rested their joined hands on his thigh, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of her hand as he backed out of Bella's driveway and onto the street.

They drove for a few moments, music from the mp3 player hooked into the car playing softly in the background, before Edward spoke. "I know this is kind of last minute, but I was wondering if you'd like to come to my house for dinner tonight. It's kind of family dinner night – Rose and Jasper will be there, too."

"Family dinner night?"

"Since the five of us have such different schedules, my parents try to get us all together for dinner at least once during the week. This week, it's tonight."

Edward saw the nervous expression on Bella's face and he hurried to add, "You don't have to, really. It's okay. I know I should have asked you earlier. I just thought I would ask you before Alice jumps on you at school about it."

Bella smiled. "No, I'd like to," she told him. "I just want to stop at my house after school so that I can leave dinner and a note for Charlie."

Edward smiled back, relieved. "We can definitely do that. So, you're in for dinner?"

Bella nodded. "Are your parents going to be okay with me coming, though? I mean, I don't want to impose if they're not expecting me."

Edward grinned. "Once again, you can thank Alice. She couldn't help letting it 'slip' last night during dinner when mom said tonight would be family dinner night that I might actually be bringing someone for the first time ever."

Bella blushed. "Wow. No pressure, huh?" she joked weakly.

Edward squeezed her hand reassuringly. "None at all. My parents are very cool and they're going to love you," _just as much as I do_, he finished silently. "And then tomorrow, you can get back at me by introducing me to your dad, okay?" He kept his tone light, trying to chase away the nervousness he could see in her eyes, and Bella forced a feeble smile for his benefit.

"So speaking of Alice, where are she and Emmett this morning? Don't you guys usually carpool?"

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Noticed that, did you?" he asked with a sly smirk.

"Lucky guess," Bella returned innocently.

"Mm-hmm," Edward said, his tone clearly telling her he didn't buy it. But he didn't push the issue any further. "Rose drove everyone this morning. She and Jasper live in the same neighborhood so they came over and got Alice and Emmett so that I could come and get you."

Bella flushed. "Seems like you went to a lot of trouble for me."

Edward looked at her. "It wasn't any trouble at all," he told her seriously. "Actually, it was kind of selfish on my part. I didn't want to wait any longer than I had to to see you again."

Bella squeezed Edward's hand as he pulled into a parking spot in the student lot. "Well, I'm very glad you showed up," she said softly.

Edward turned off the car and turned to Bella with a smile. "Ready to face the masses?"

Bella grimaced. "No."

Edward put his hand behind her neck and gently pulled her to him as he leaned closer to her. "I promise I'll protect you," he told her. His tone was serious but Bella didn't miss the mischievous glint in his eyes. Bella made a face and started to speak, but before she could get a word out, Edward's lips were on hers and it was all she could do to remember how to breathe.

When they finally separated, Bella was dazed. "You don't play fair," she accused.

Edward grinned. "Nope." He climbed out of the car and came around to Bella's side, opening the passenger side door for her and offering her his hand.

From where the couple stood in the parking lot, Edward could see Alice and the rest of his siblings standing near the entrance to Building 4. Alice frantically waved to them and Edward sighed. "Think you can handle Alice this early in the morning?"

Bella smiled. "I like Alice. She's very, um, exuberant, but she's never been anything but nice to me."

"Your choice," Edward teased.

Bella smiled back, gripping his hand tightly. "Lead the way," she told him, trying to sound confident.

Edward and Bella made their way across the parking lot hand in hand and Bella was acutely aware of the stares and whispers of her classmates as they passed. Edward squeezed Bella's hand reassuringly, feeling the tension radiating from her. "Don't worry," he said softly. "They're all just jealous."

Bella groaned quietly. "They're all wondering what sort of alternate universe they've entered where someone like you wants to be with me."

Edward stopped in his tracks and pulled Bella close to him. "There you go again, not seeing yourself as clearly as the rest of the world." His tone was teasing but his eyes were troubled. "Bella, I wish I could make you see just how beautiful and perfect you are and how lucky I am to be with you."

Bella blushed and started to speak but Edward cut her off with a finger to her lips. "There is nowhere else I'd rather be than at your side and no one else I would rather be with." His voice dropped to almost a whisper. "I am the luckiest guy in the state of Washington to have someone like you care for me. I know that and anyone with a brain does, too. People around here are always going to look for something to gossip about. I don't know, maybe their lives are all just extraordinarily boring. But I don't care what they say and I wish you wouldn't, either. I'm with you and I'm happy and that's what matters to me." He kissed her gently, quickly, before pulling back to look into her eyes. "Okay?"

Bella could only nod, suddenly quite unable to speak past the lump in her throat. His words were earnest, from his heart, and she couldn't believe that _she_ was the cause of this emotion. She resisted the urge to savagely pinch herself, knowing that if this _was_ a dream, she was certainly in no hurry to wake up.

Edward smiled gently, afraid he had frightened her with his passionate words. "Sorry, that was probably a little heavy for a Monday morning, huh?" he teased.

Bella shook her head slightly. "No, it was perfect," she said quietly.

Edward squeezed her hand lightly. "Ready to go face Hurricane Alice, then?" She smiled back at him and the two walked the rest of the way to where Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett were standing.

"Hey, guys," Alice said as the two walked over to join them. The small girl was so excited she was practically bouncing up and down.

"Hi," Bella said, smiling shyly at the group.

"Bella, you already know most of these fools," Edward said. "And I don't know if you two have met, but this is Rose."

"Hello, Bella," Rose said politely.

"Hi, Rose."

"So, did Edward ask you about dinner?" Alice asked Bella.

Edward gave Bella a look that clearly said 'I told you so' and Bella smiled. "He asked me on the way to school," she told Alice. "And I'm really looking forward to it." That part was only a bit of a lie. She _was_ looking forward to it, but she was also extremely nervous about making a good impression on Edward's parents.

Alice clapped her hands in glee. "I'm so glad you're coming! Mom and Dad can't _wait_ to meet you."

Edward could feel Bella tense up beside him and he gave his brothers a pleading look. Jasper caught on immediately. "Come on, Alice," he said, taking her hand. "We should get to class."

Edward smiled gratefully. "We should, too. We'll see you guys later."

"See you in Biology, Bella!" Alice called back excitedly as she let Jasper lead her into the building.

"Bye, Alice."

Edward turned to Rose and Emmett. "We're gonna get to class."

Rose nodded and Emmett grinned. "See you guys at lunch. Bye, Bella."

Rolling her eyes, Rose took Emmett by the arm, dragging him toward Building 3 and their first class.

Edward looked down to Bella with a smile. "Okay, where to first?"

Bella made a face. "Trig with Varner."

"Not the nicest way to start your day," Edward agreed.

Bella sighed. "Nope. Oh well. I guess I had better get going."

"Let's go." At Bella's look, he smiled. "Don't boyfriends usually walk their girlfriends to class?"

Bella's heart skipped a beat. Boyfriend. He had just referred to himself as her boyfriend. And, he had called _her_ his girlfriend. Butterflies started fluttering in her chest and she smiled up at him. "I don't know," she told him honestly. "But if it's not out of your way, I'm certainly not opposed."

"Trig it is, then," Edward said, squeezing her hand gently.

The couple made their way into the building and to Bella's classroom. Bella tried to focus only on Edward and the feel of her hand in his, but it was impossible to not notice the way people stopped and stared as they walked by together.

Much too quickly for either of their liking, they arrived at the door to Bella's Trig class. "Looks like I'm on my own from here," Bella said. She tried to keep her tone light but she was dreading the thought of spending the next hour without Edward and surrounded by whispering classmates.

Edward smiled ruefully. "Me, too." Ignoring the people around them, he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Bella could practically feel the stares burning into the back of her head from the students in her class and her cheeks turned pink. "Okay," she said softly. With a final squeeze of her hand, Edward turned and walked down the hallway as Bella took a deep breath and walked into her classroom.

Bella quickly made her way to her desk, refusing to make eye contact with any of her classmates. When she sat down, she allowed her hair to hang forward, blocking her flushed face from the curious stares of her classmates. The hour long class always passed slowly for Bella, given the subject matter, but today it seemed that the stares and whispers around her made the class take twice as long as it usually did.

When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the hour, Bella sighed in relief and shoved her book and notebook into her bag. She hurried from the classroom into the hallway and stopped short at the very welcome sight of Edward leaning against the wall opposite her classroom.

"Hi," she said, unable to keep from smiling happily at the sight of him.

Edward grinned as well, moving toward her and taking her hand. "Hi," he said softly.

"Um, not that I mind, because believe me, I don't, but what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to walk you to your next class."

"You didn't have to do that." She tried to protest but her smile grew at his words.

"I didn't want to have to wait until lunch to see you again," Edward replied, giving her puppy dog eyes.

Bella blushed. "Well, I have gym next." She wrinkled her nose. "Trig and then gym. Somebody really hated me when they made up my schedule this year."

Edward laughed and started swinging her hand as they made their way toward the gym. "And here I was thinking I was so lucky because whoever made up the schedules let me have last period with you."

"Well, I guess my schedule's not _too_ terrible," Bella joked. Edward gave her a wounded look and she laughed. "Let me rephrase that. Once I get past my first two classes, the rest of my day is puppies and daisies. _Especially_ last period."

"Nice save," Edward teased as they came to a stop in front of the door to the girl's locker room. He sighed. "I do wish we had more classes together, though."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Well, I'm very glad we don't have gym together," she told him honestly. "I like you far too much to subject you to the danger that is me in any kind of athletic situation."

Edward laughed before looking furtively up and down the hallway. "What are you doing?" Bella asked curiously.

"Just making sure the coast was clear before I did this," Edward said, pulling her to him and kissing her thoroughly. When they finally parted, Bella's head swam and she looked up at Edward, glad to have his steadying arms still around her. "I didn't want to embarrass you by doing that in front of a big crowd of people," he told her softly, her favorite crooked smile gracing his lips. "But I was going crazy waiting until I could do that again."

Bella blushed and Edward chuckled softly. "I guess I'd better let you go get changed," Edward said reluctantly. "See you after class?"

Bella nodded, still slightly dazed. "Yeah," she managed. "I should go. I'll see you later." She walked into the girls' locker room, nearly colliding with the doorframe in her distracted state, and she heard Edward's quiet laugh before the door clicked shut behind her.

Bella made her way to her gym locker in the middle bank of lockers in the changing room and pulled her gym uniform from the locker with a look of disgust. Why did the stupid high school have to have a stupid rule about taking stupid gym every single semester of your high school career? Ugh.

As Bella began to change, she heard the distinctive voices of Lauren Mallory and Tanya Thurston coming from the next bank of lockers. Normally, Bella would have paid no attention to their conversation; however, the mention of Edward's name caught her attention.

"Edward could have any girl in this school. Why on earth would he pick _her_?"

"I was sure Jessica was lying," Tanya said. "Or that it was all just some kind of big joke."

"I'm not convinced it's _not_ some big joke," Lauren sniffed. "I mean, look at the two of them together. He's cover model gorgeous and sexy as hell. She's just so blah and such a loser."

"Yeah, she's totally lame," Tanya agreed. "She always knows the answer in class and she always has her nose in a book. What the hell could he possibly see in her?"

Bella's face turned tomato red and she hurried to change her clothes. Who the hell did Tanya and Lauren think they were making judgments about her relationship with Edward? _Oh, come on_, a little voice in her head said. _It's not like you're not wondering exactly the same thing. What __**does**__ he possibly see in you?_

_Stop that_, she told herself sternly. Edward had told her only this morning how lucky he felt and how happy he was with her. That was good enough for her, so who cared what these gossipmongers said? She finished tying her sneakers and shoved her books and clothing into her locker, shutting it with a bang. Raising her chin defiantly, she walked past Lauren and Tanya, who were still talking, and out into the gym.

When Bella reached the gym, she heard someone call her name. She turned, shoulders sagging in relief at the sight of her friend Mike Newton. Here was someone she could count on to not stare or give her crap about her relationship with Edward.

"Hey, Mike," she said as he jogged up to her.

"How was your weekend?" he asked, watching her face closely.

"It was good, really good," she told him, her eyes dancing happily even as she tried to keep her demeanor calm.

Mike cringed. Apparently, Jessica _had_ been telling the truth. Dammit. "So, I guess it's true, huh?" he asked unhappily. "You and Cullen?"

Bella was too caught up in her thoughts to catch Mike's gloomy tone of voice and she couldn't stop the blissful smile that spread across her face. "It's true," she confirmed.

Mike frowned. "Why?"

Bella's smile disappeared. So much for the not giving her crap part of the equation. "What do you mean, why?"

"I mean, why would you want to go out with someone like him?"

Bella flushed angrily but she was saved from having to answer by Mr. Matthews, the gym teacher, calling for everyone's attention. _What the hell is wrong with everyone?_ she thought to herself in annoyance as the class was split into teams for volleyball. _Don't they have anything better to do? This is no one's business but Edward's and mine_.

For most of the class, Bella did her best to hang back on the volleyball court and avoid the ball. Toward the end of the period, the teams rotated courts and Bella found herself facing Lauren and Tanya on the other side of the net. She did her best to ignore the girls but near the end of class, much to Bella's irritation, she saw the pair of girls whispering to each other while staring directly at her. Lauren smirked as she stepped back behind the line and served the ball straight to where Bella stood. Normally, Bella would have done her best to get out of the way and let one of her teammates handle it. Today was not a normal day, however, and Bella found herself channeling all of her frustration with her classmates into a solid hit on the volleyball that sent it back over the net. The other team was so astonished by Bella's sudden display of athleticism that they could only watch as the ball fell, untouched, between Tanya and Lauren.

Mr. Matthews blew his whistle signaling the end of class. "That's time, everyone. Swan, nice hit!"

Bella gave Lauren and Tanya a haughty look before turning and jogging back to the locker room to change. _Take that, bitches_.

Bella walked out of the locker room still inwardly congratulating herself on showing up Lauren and Tanya. Her celebratory thoughts were cut off abruptly, however, when she saw that Edward was not waiting for her in the hall. Her shoulders slumped slightly. She knew she'd told him he didn't have to walk her to every class, but she had certainly enjoyed him doing so.

"Looking for something?" A familiar velvety voice asked from behind her.

Bella spun around, a smile instantly lighting her face at the sight of Edward. "Hey," she said happily.

"Hey," he returned, taking her hand in his. "How was gym?"

Bella's smile widened. "I actually got the ball over the net in volleyball," she told him. "And I managed not to kill anyone in the process."

Edward grinned. "A banner day," he agreed. "So, ready for Bio?"

"How did you know I have Bio next?"

"Alice," Edward reminded her.

Bella blushed and looked down, instantly feeling foolish. Right, Alice had mentioned having Biology together this morning. Of course Edward would know his sister's schedule. It wasn't like he knew it because it was _her_ schedule or anything.

Edward smiled at the flush on Bella's cheeks. "And Alice might have mentioned a time or two that you were in her class," he said casually.

Bella looked up into Edward's eyes, smiling at what she saw there. So maybe it _wasn't_ just knowledge of his sister's schedule after all. The thought that Edward had cared enough even before this past weekend to know some of her classes sent a thrill down Bella's spine.

Edward and Bella entered the science wing and Edward sighed wistfully. "I have such fond memories of this place all of a sudden," he said, smiling wickedly.

Bella blushed but she smiled back. "Me, too," she admitted.

They stopped in front of the door to Bella's class and Edward took both of Bella's hands in his own. "I may have to change my whole outlook on Biology because of you," he teased, rubbing circles on the back of her hands with his thumbs.

Before Bella could respond, a small figure bounced up to the pair. "Hi, Bella! Hi, Edward!" Alice said enthusiastically.

"Hey, Alice," Bella said, smiling at the small girl's energetic entrance.

Alice pulled Bella free from Edward and turned them toward the classroom. "Okay, Edward, go to class. I promise I'll take good care of her," she said as she swept Bella into the classroom with her. "See you at lunch, dear brother."

Jasper appeared at Edward's side. "Sorry, man," he said. "I tried to slow her down, but you know how she is."

Edward shrugged. "The hurricane."

"The hurricane," Jasper agreed.

"Don't worry about it. We both know that when Alice gets like this, _nothing_ can slow her down. Just don't let her scare Bella too much if you can stop her. I'll see you later."

"Later." Jasper entered the classroom, walking over to where Alice was sitting perched on the edge of Bella and Angela's lab table, talking a mile a minute to the two girls. He greeted Angela and Bella before practically dragging Alice over to their own table as Doc Marin entered the classroom.

They were told to break into groups of four for the week's lab and Alice was at Bella and Angela's table almost before Doc had finished talking. Alice's friendly nature instantly put Angela at ease and the four spent the rest of the period in friendly conversation as they quickly worked through the lab.

When Alice and Jasper returned to their table at the end of the class, Bella turned to Angela. "Um, I think I'm going to be sitting with them at lunch today," she began apologetically.

Angela smiled. "That was kind of a given."

"Do you want to sit with us?"

Angela shook her head. "Maybe another time. I think you might want a few days to feel comfortable with that group on your own first. But I'm really happy for you, Bella," she continued, patting her friend's hand gently.

Bella smiled. "Thanks, Ang. And I promise, I will tell you the whole story soon."

The two girls gathered their books and joined Alice and Jasper at the classroom door, walking out into the hallway together. Edward stood just outside the door and Bella smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hi," he said softly, clasping her hand in his. He looked up at Angela and smiled. "Hi, Angela."

"Hi, Edward," she returned, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked at Bella and Edward together in front of her. "I had better get to class. I'll see all of you later."

"Bye, Ang," Bella said. "I'll talk to you later."

The others said their goodbyes and Angela turned and made her way down the hall. "We'd better get to Trig," Jasper said to Alice. "We'll see you guys at lunch."

The couples parted ways and Edward and Bella began to walk down the hall. "Where to?" Edward asked.

"English," Bella said with a smile. "My favorite class of the day. Though history's running a pretty close second," she added, smiling brightly up at Edward as she referenced the one class they had together.

Edward squeezed her hand. "I saw your collection of books," he told her, remembering the small bookshelf in Bella's bedroom that was absolutely crammed with books. "I think I can take being second to that."

Bella flushed slightly but she was still smiling as she responded, "Yeah, I guess I'm kind of a dork, huh?"

Edward shook his head as they stopped outside of Bella's classroom. "Not at all," he said seriously as he tilted his head down toward hers. "Smart girls are sexy as hell," he said in a low voice, quickly brushing a soft kiss across her lips. "And you're the smartest girl I know."

"You're hardly a slouch in that department yourself," Bella responded, a deep blush coloring her cheeks.

Edward grinned, running a hand lightly down her cheek. "You'd better get in there," he told her, gesturing toward her classroom. "I'm not going to be able to resist you much longer if you keep blushing like that." He was smiling but Bella could see the desire in his eyes and she felt her blush deepen.

Edward chuckled lightly. "Now you're just doing it on purpose," he teased. "I'll see you after class for lunch, okay?"

Bella nodded, still a bit breathless at the intensity she saw in Edward's gaze. She walked into her classroom and dropped into her seat, completely unaware of the dreamy smile she wore. She found herself absently hoping the teacher wouldn't decide to call on her during class, knowing the fog in her brain would render her quite incapable of coherent speech.

Fortunately, English passed without incident though Bella was sure she saw Lauren Mallory toss several nasty looks her way during the hour. When the bell rang for lunch, Bella practically jumped out of her seat, eager to be the first one out the door. In her hurry, however, she knocked her books to the floor and by the time she finished collecting them, the classroom was empty.

She hurried into the hallway and stopped, her stomach twisting into a painful knot. Edward stood near a bank of lockers across from Bella's classroom, talking to Lauren. The blonde stood way too close to him for Bella's liking, resting a hand on his arm as she spoke to him and flipping her hair over her shoulder.

He glanced over Lauren's shoulder and his face lit up at the sight of Bella. He quickly excused himself and walked over to Bella. "Finally," he said, sliding his arm around her waist with a smile. "I get a whole hour with you. I may have to join Emmett's school of thought and consider lunch my new favorite class."

Bella smiled up at him, the tension in her stomach dissipating at his touch. "I missed you, too," she admitted softly. The two made their way to the cafeteria, blissfully unaware of the poisonous glare of Lauren or the now familiar stares of other classmates as they walked by.

They made their way through the lunch line then walked over to a small table where Emmett, Rose, Alice, and Jasper were already seated. The group exchanged greetings as Alice patted the empty seat next to her. "I saved you a seat, Bella," she said brightly.

Edward's eyes narrowed playfully as he sat down on Bella's other side. "No way, Alice. You already got to spend an hour with Bella today. It's my turn."

Emmett groaned as Alice stuck her tongue out at Edward. "We've lost him, Jazz," he teased, tossing a french fry at his younger brother.

Rose rolled her eyes but there was a small smile on her face. "Leave them alone, Emmett."

Emmett smiled wickedly. "Never."

"I'm ignoring you," Edward informed him, turning his full attention on Bella. "Do you want to sit somewhere else? Really, I don't even know these people. I just thought you might like me better if I pretended to have some friends."

Bella giggled and picked up her pizza as Emmett began to protest Edward's statement. Alice seized the opportunity to engage Bella's attention while Edward was distracted by Emmett and the two girls quickly fell into comfortable conversation.

From her own lunch table, Angela smiled softly at the sight. Edward and Bella's chairs were as close to each other as they could possibly be and Edward's right arm was draped casually over the back of Bella's chair. Angela had never seen Bella look so content and she was truly happy for her friend.

"Why him?" Mike's grumbling from his seat next to Angela pulled her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"Why him? She never said yes to any of the other guys who asked her out. Why did she say yes to Cullen? What's so special about him?"

Angela looked over at Bella and Edward. Their heads were bent together and they were talking softly. "Because he makes her happy, Mike."

"I could make her happy," Mike said petulantly.

Angela shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Mike, but not like this," she said gently. Even from where she sat, Angela could see the slight glow to Bella's face, hinting at the joy that she knew her friend felt at being with Edward. She patted Mike's hand comfortingly. "She's your friend. Just try to be happy for her, okay?"

Mike grudgingly agreed. "But if he ever hurts her," he began threateningly.

"You'll have to get in line," Angela assured him. However, she could tell by the way the two looked at each other that there was little danger of them doing anything but continuing to be deliriously happy together.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being so awesome and being there every step of the way to bounce ideas off of and to offer up some fantastic ones of her own. This would be impossible if not for her (or it at least wouldn't be very good ;). And a very big thank you to all who have reviewed. You have all been so kind and it really means a lot. I'm so sorry it took me forever to update. Real life gets annoying sometimes.

Chapter 5

* * *

As the end of the lunch period drew near, Edward and Bella were so completely wrapped up in each other that they didn't even notice the other students filing out of the cafeteria to make their way to fifth period. Finally, Emmett decided to interrupt.

"Hey, Bella." Bella looked up from Edward's face. "What class do you have next?"

"Spanish with Mrs. Goff," Bella answered distractedly.

Emmett's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Really? Me, too, isn't that great? We can go together!"

"Um, sure?" Bella said uncertainly.

Edward groaned to himself as Emmett stood up, grinning widely. "Bella and I have to get to Spanish now," he told the others, hauling Bella from her seat. "We'll see you guys later." He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to Rose's forehead. "I'll meet you at your locker after last period, baby." Before anyone could respond, Emmett was already halfway out of the cafeteria, dragging a bewildered Bella behind him as the remainder of the group stared after him in varying degrees of surprise and irritation.

Only Alice seemed unaffected. "Emmett's right, time for class," she said, rising gracefully from her seat.

Edward groaned, resting his forehead against his hand. "I'll be lucky if Bella's still even speaking to me by the time last period rolls around."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Stop being so dramatic," she instructed him. "Emmett's not going to scare Bella off. And I think it's sweet – he's letting her know that she's accepted by your siblings. You should be happy about that."

"I'm ecstatic," Edward said flatly.

"Stop your bitching," Rose grumbled as she stood from her seat as well. "At least Bella didn't just choose to blow you off in the middle of the cafeteria."

Alice grimaced. One thing she definitely did not want was Rose getting her nose out of joint over Emmett's very welcoming attitude toward Bella. That would only make things difficult for everyone concerned. She looked up at Jasper, pleading with her eyes for him to step in and once again play his role of peacemaker for the group.

Jasper nodded almost imperceptibly down at Alice before turning his attention to Rose and Edward. "Edward, don't worry about Emmett scaring Bella away. We've all seen the way you two look at each other and believe me, it's going to take a lot more than Emmett's teasing to send her running. Besides, everyone here knows how long you've wanted to be with Bella. Emmett knows it, too, and he's not going to do anything to jeopardize that. He just wants her to feel comfortable with all of us. So just relax and focus on the good – like the fact that you get to spend last period and after school with her."

Edward nodded reluctantly. "I guess you're right," he agreed.

Jasper nodded before turning to Rose. "And Rose, you know how Emmett is," he continued soothingly. "He wants everyone to get along and have fun and be happy. He just doesn't always go about it like a normal person. It doesn't mean anything's changed in the way he feels about you. Hell, everyone in this town knows that boy is ridiculously head over heels in love with you. He's trying to make Bella feel comfortable, he's just doing it in his own clumsy Emmett way."

Rose looked mollified and Alice jumped in. "Right. Emmett's just being Emmett – he acts all big and stupid and he drives you crazy, but he always does it in his own lumbering, lovable way. Kind of like a teddy bear on steroids," she finished thoughtfully.

In spite of herself, Rose smiled. "All right, enough already from the Emmett fan club. I know, he's just trying to be nice."

"Exactly," Alice said, linking her arm through Rose's. "We're going to class. We'll see you two later." As the two girls walked away, Alice glanced back over her shoulder at Jasper. "Thanks. Love you," she mouthed to him.

"An Alice/Jasper double team," Edward mused as he stood from the table. "Nice one."

Jasper shrugged. "Maybe."

"Yeah, nice try, 'maybe,'" Edward snorted. "I saw that look Alice gave you."

"Alice was really worried about Rosie getting all upset with Emmett and taking it out on Bella," Jasper explained calmly. "You know how Rose is with people she doesn't really know. And Emmett really was just being nice, but there was the risk of Rose taking it the wrong way and blowing everything out of proportion and getting everybody upset. We kind of needed to head that off before it could become an issue."

"You got all that from a look?" Edward asked dubiously. "I mean, I know Alice says you guys are 'connected' and all, but that's pretty detailed."

Jasper smiled. "Not quite. But I knew what Alice wanted me to do. We were talking about some of this stuff before everyone else showed up for lunch."

"Ah."

"I meant what I said about Emmett, too," Jasper said as the two walked out of the cafeteria together.

"You mean that he's an idiot, but we all know he and Rose are happily, sickeningly in love?"

"That, too," Jasper agreed mildly. "But I was talking about you not worrying about him scaring Bella away. He really is happy for you, you know. You should have heard him in the car this morning. I don't know who's happier about all of this, truthfully – you, Alice, or Emmett."

Edward rolled his eyes but he grinned. "Definitely me," he said honestly.

"We're all happy for you," Jasper told him. "And none of us are going to do anything to mess it up, okay? Just remember that."

"Thanks," Edward said. "I'm just, you know, I think I'm still having a hard time believing this is all real. I mean, I've liked Bella for so long, you know? But now that I'm actually with her and we're getting to know each other, it's so much more than that and I just can't believe she might actually feel the same way."

Jasper smiled gently. "I've seen the way she looks at you, Edward. Trust me, there's no 'might' in that equation."

Edward couldn't keep from beaming. "Really? No, wait, don't answer that. I trust you. I've gotta get to class. I'll see you later, okay?"

Jasper nodded. "Later." He smiled to himself as he watched Edward walk away, a slight spring in his step. He had never seen his friend so happy in all of the years that he had known him. Though he normally wouldn't approve of interfering in someone's relationship, he decided Alice was right – if there was anything they could do to avert any kind of crisis for the new couple, they should. At least in the relationship's early stages, anyway. After observing Bella and Edward together, even for such a short time, he had no doubt that the two cared enough about each other to make this relationship last a very long time without help from anyone else.

* * *

During Spanish class, their assigned alphabetical seating had put them on separate sides of the classroom, but Emmett was at Bella's desk moments after the bell rang to signal the end of the class period. Much to Bella's chagrin, Emmett insisted upon carrying Bella's book bag and they made their way into the hall together.

"Time to deliver you safely to my little brother," Emmett said with a grin.

Bella blushed. "Emmett, it's okay," she assured him. "You really don't have to walk me all the way to class."

"Yeah, but I want to," Emmett said frankly. "I like you – you're a nice person and you make Edward happier than I've ever seen him."

Bella blushed even more deeply. "He makes me happy, too," she confessed in a mumble.

Emmett grinned at her but his response died on his lips as their path was suddenly blocked by Tanya Thurston.

"Well isn't this just too sweet?" Tanya sneered down at Bella, her narrowed eyes taking in Bella's flushed face and the fact that Emmett was carrying her book bag. She turned her attention to Emmett. "Is your family taking in strays, Emmett?" she asked with a smirk. "I shudder to think what poor pathetic puppy you'll take in next."

"Don't worry, Tanya," Emmett responded. "There's a no bitches policy in my house, so there's no danger of it being you."

Emmett slung his arm around Bella's shoulder and the two walked away from Tanya who stood in the middle of the hallway, fuming. Bella couldn't help giggling and Emmett grinned down at her. "I can't stand that girl. She's always so mean for absolutely no reason and I hate that," he confessed. "So I should probably thank you for giving me the opportunity to say that to her."

Bella's lips quirked upward slightly. "Happy to help. It's hardly sport, though, is it?"

Emmett laughed loudly and hugged Bella to his side quickly. "Oh, I'm going to like having you around," he chuckled.

They turned the corner to the hallway where Bella's history classroom was located and saw Edward waiting outside of the door. He smiled tentatively at Bella, his shoulders slumping in relief and his smile becoming a full blown one when she waved and smiled happily at him.

"Safe and sound, Eddie," Emmett said, handing Bella's book bag to Edward.

Edward rolled his eyes but Bella smiled up at Emmett. "Thanks, Emmett," she said. "For everything" was left unsaid but Emmett nodded understandingly.

"Anytime," he said. "I'll see you guys later on at the house, okay?"

As Emmett moved out of earshot, Edward turned to Bella. "So, after spending an hour with Emmett, are you still speaking to me?" he asked. His tone was teasing but Bella thought she detected a slight undertone of apprehension in his question.

"Of course," she said with a bright smiling, reaching out to take his hand in her own. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Edward pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Emmett can take a little getting used to sometimes, that's all. He can be as hyper as Alice in his own right."

Bella squeezed Edward's hand gently. "You don't have a thing to worry about," she assured him. "Your family's been really nice to me and I really appreciate them trying to make me feel comfortable. I've never had brothers and sisters before. It's nice."

Edward smiled, thinking back on Jasper's words. Looked like his best friend was just as in tune with Bella's feelings as he was with everyone else's in their group. "Just checking. Ready for class?"

Bella nodded happily. "You?"

"I've been looking forward to it all day," he replied with a cheeky grin as they entered the classroom.

Bella blushed and Edward groaned internally as he watched the flush travel up past the scooped neck of her blouse to her fair cheeks, fighting back memories of the way that blush had looked on the rest of her bare skin just the other night. He suddenly had a feeling this was going to be a very long class.

Ms. Cohn, unlike the rest of Bella's teachers, didn't use a seating plan in her class, so Bella and Edward were free to sit next to each other for the hour. They quickly chose two adjacent desks that were situated halfway down the aisle on the far right side of the classroom. They had eyes only for each other as they talked quietly together, ceasing their conversation and facing front only when Ms. Cohn called the class to order.

Bella found it very difficult to concentrate during class with Edward only a few feet away from her. She honestly wasn't sure which was worse – being in class _without_ Edward while her classmates stared and whispered or being in class _with_ him when he was soclose to her but she was unable to talk to or touch him for an entire hour.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity later to both Edward and Bella, the bell rang to signal the end of the school day. They smiled at each other in relief and quickly left the classroom. After quick stops at each of their lockers to change up their books, they made their way to the parking lot and Edward's car.

Edward held the passenger side door open for Bella, closing it behind her and then all but running for the driver's side door. His door had not even fully closed behind him before he pulled Bella into his arms. "I thought today was never going to end," he murmured before drawing her into a passionate kiss.

Bella moaned softly as her lips parted beneath Edward's, their mouths fusing together. Eventually they parted and Bella rested her forehead against Edward's, her breath coming in short gasps. "Wow," she mumbled, her eyes still closed.

Edward chuckled softly. "You can say that again. That was." He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "The longest history class." A quick kiss on her nose. "I have ever had to suffer through." He covered her lips with his own once again. This kiss was sweet and gentle without the urgency of their previous kiss and Bella melted into Edward's arms.

"I think it might have been worse being so close to you for an hour and not being able to talk to you than being in a different class entirely," Bella agreed.

Edward cupped Bella's face in his head, his thumb rubbing gentle circles against her cheek. "I have no idea what we were supposed to have learned in there today," he admitted. "All I could think about was getting out of there and getting you somewhere away from all of our nosy classmates."

Bella flushed slightly but she smiled. "So, I'm guessing the parking lot wasn't really high on that list of places."

Edward grinned. "Well, no, but I just couldn't help myself. Once again, I find you far too tempting to resist."

Bella smiled shyly, resisting the urge to deflect the compliment as she normally would have in the past. Edward's words from earlier that morning still echoed in her mind and she was trying so hard to believe him when he said such amazingly sweet things. "So, are we ready to get out of here then?"

Edward nodded. "Absolutely. We're going to stop by your house so you can let your dad know where you are, right?"

"And make sure he has dinner," Bella responded. "I think Charlie probably kept the local pizza places in business before I moved in with him."

"Not much of a cook, huh?"

Bella shook her head. "Not remotely," she said with a grimace. "Fortunately, I made lasagna last night, so all he has to do is heat it up and he'll have dinner and his Mariners game."

Edward smiled and started the car. The mp3 player started playing as the car started and Edward turned the volume up a bit from where it had been that morning as he exited the parking lot. "Have you ever heard of The Frames?" he asked Bella, scrolling through the mp3 player.

Bella shook her head. "Who are they?"

"They're an Irish rock band and they're one of my favorites. Actually," Edward amended with a smile, "everyone in my family loves them, which is definitely a rare occurrence. I think you'd probably really like them, too," he added, thinking back to a conversation about music that they had had during their picnic the previous day.

Bella smiled. "I'm always up for good new music," she said.

"Excellent." Edward found what he was looking for and started the mp3 player. Seconds later, soft music filled the car and a man began to sing softly.

Edward and Bella were silent as they drove along, with Bella completely focused on the music and Edward completely focused on Bella. "That was beautiful," Bella said when the track finished. "What was that one called?"

"'Your Face,'" Edward replied. "It's one of my favorites."

"Can we hear it again?"

Edward smiled. "Of course." He hit a button on the mp3 player and the song began again. Bella sighed as the opening notes filled the car once more and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes. Edward looked over at her as often as he could without completely driving off the road, enjoying the way she seemed to immerse herself completely in the song.

The song came to an end for a second time as Edward pulled into Bella's driveway and turned off the car. Bella opened her eyes slowly. "That has to be one of the most gorgeous songs I have ever heard."

Edward grinned as he exited the car and went around to Bella's side to open her door. He helped her from the car and the two walked up the driveway and into Bella's house. Once inside, Bella headed straight for the kitchen, setting her bag down on one of the kitchen chairs as Edward settled into the other chair.

Bella pulled a pad of paper from the kitchen junk drawer and hastily scribbled a note to Charlie, telling him she was at a friend's house for dinner. She then reminded him that there was lasagna in the refrigerator to heat up for dinner and promised she wouldn't be home late.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked, rising to his feet.

Bella hesitated. "Am I okay?"

Edward looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Bella gestured to herself. "This, my clothes. I mean, are they too casual, should I change?"

Edward caught her hands in his and pulled her to him. "You look absolutely perfect," he assured her quietly.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's your parents, shouldn't I look a little nicer?"

Edward leaned in and placed a soft kiss at the juncture of her shoulder and neck before beginning to trail light kisses up her neck. "You're beautiful, Bella. And that color blue looks wonderful on you," he murmured between kisses.

Bella sighed, tilting her head to the side to give him better access. "You're doing it again, you know," she murmured.

"What's that?"

"Distracting me."

"Is it working?"

"Maybe," Bella admitted. "But you're still not playing fair."

She could feel Edward smile against her jaw. "All's fair," he said softly.

Bella shivered. 'All's fair? As in "all's fair in love and war?" Surely he couldn't mean _that_. Surely he didn't feel the same way about her that she felt about him. Her thoughts were cut off as Edward tilted her face toward him, meeting her lips with his own in a gentle kiss.

Bella sighed softly when they finally separated and Edward reached up a hand to caress her cheek. "Do you trust me?"

Bella opened her eyes and looked up at Edward. "Yes," she answered without hesitation.

Edward smiled gently. "Then please believe me when I say you don't have anything to worry about. I promise."

Bella bit her bottom lip. "Okay. Should we head over to your house then?"

Edward nodded and took Bella's hand, leading her back out of the house and to his car. Once they were settled in the car again, Edward started the car and turned on the mp3 player. As he began driving, he reached over and took Bella's hand in his, resting their joined hands on his thigh. Despite her worries about making a good impression on Edward's parents, Bella couldn't help but feel content as they drove along. Edward's hand held hers tightly while more gorgeous, soothing music flowed from the speakers and she felt like she and Edward were in their own happy, perfect little world together.

Bella wasn't sure how much time had passed when Edward suddenly turned off the road they were on and onto an unpaved road that Bella had not even noticed was there. The car drove down the road, passing quickly through a stand of trees whose sweeping branches formed a canopy over the road, and suddenly they were in a large grassy area and a large, three story house loomed in front of them. Bella stared at the majestic older structure, thinking how none of the stories she had heard of this mansion did it justice. "It's beautiful, Edward."

Edward smiled. "It's home," he said simply. He quickly exited the car and came around to open Bella's door. "Ready?" he asked, helping her from the car.

She took a deep breath before grasping Edward's hand and standing. "As I'll ever be."

"They don't bite, I promise," he teased.

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Funny. Just remember, tomorrow you have to meet Charlie. We'll see who's nervous then."

Edward grinned. "It'll be totally worth it," he told her, pulling her to him for a quick kiss. They then made their way across the lawn, hand in hand, up the steps to the house's wrap around porch. Edward opened the door and they stepped into an open, airy front room. To Bella's left, she saw a large curving staircase that led up to the second floor. The wall opposite to where they stood was lined with floor to ceiling windows and she saw a beautiful grand piano sitting in one corner by the windows.

"Do you play?" Bella asked, gesturing to the piano.

Edward didn't meet her eyes. "A little," he hedged. "Come on, I want to introduce you to my mom."

Bella knew that Edward wasn't being completely truthful for some reason but she went along with him silently, all of her energy now focused on not making a fool of herself in front of Edward's mother. The two entered the kitchen and were greeted by the sight of a petite woman whose chestnut hair framed her face in soft waves. She turned from the cabinet she was rummaging in at the sound of Edward clearing his throat and her face broke into a wide smile at the sight of the couple in front of her.

"Mom, this is Bella," Edward said with a smile as his mother crossed the kitchen to where they stood. "Bella, my mom."

Edward's mom fairly beamed at her as she took Bella's offered hand in both of hers. "It's so nice to meet you, Bella. You are very welcome here."

Bella smiled shyly. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Cullen. I'm sorry it was such short notice."

Edward's mom waved her hand dismissively. "Not a bit," she said. "We're always happy to have another friendly face at the table. And please, call me Esme."

Esme and Bella stood smiling at each other for a moment before Edward cleared his throat again. "Can I get you guys anything to drink? Do you want a snack?" Esme asked.

Edward looked down at Bella. "Oh, no, I'm fine, thank you," she said.

Edward turned his gaze back to his mother. "No thanks, mom. I'm just going to show Bella the rest of the house and then we'll probably hang out in my room until dinner."

Esme smiled again. "Okay. Well, if you guys change your mind, let me know. I'll send somebody to get you when dinner's ready."

"Thanks, mom."

"Thanks, Mrs., um, Esme," Bella said.

"It was very nice to meet you, Bella," Esme said.

"You, too," Bella said, Esme's warm nature making her feel far more comfortable than she would have believed possible only a few moments earlier.

The two exited the kitchen and made their way back to the room they had first entered. Emmett and Rose had just descended the stairs and stopped when they saw Bella and Edward.

Edward nodded in greeting. "Hi, Rose, hi, Emmett," Bella said quietly.

"Hey guys," Emmett said with a big grin. "Did you introduce Bella to mom yet?" he asked Edward.

Edward nodded. "I'm just going to show Bella the rest of the house before dinner."

Bella saw the slightly wicked gleam in Emmett's eyes and she hurried to speak before he could. "What are you guys up to?" she asked, seeing that Rose was practically pushing Emmett toward the kitchen.

"I'm just trying to get Emmett to get his butt in the kitchen," Rose said, rolling her eyes. "You guys traded off so it's his week tonight, right?" The latter part of this was directed at Edward.

Edward nodded. "His week?" Bella asked, slightly confused.

"It's something my parents set up for making dinner on family nights. Whenever we have a family dinner, it rotates between either mom or dad plus one of the five of us," Edward explained. "That way no one gets stuck doing all of the work all the time."

"Yeah, and it's actually Eddie's turn to help this week," Emmett told her. "But since I'm such a wonderful older brother, I let him trade off with me tonight." He grinned at Bella. "And now that you're part of the family, you'll get a help night, too. I say you should be on for next week."

Rose smacked Emmett's shoulder. "Stop tormenting Bella and go help Esme in the kitchen," she instructed. "I'd like to eat before midnight."

"Good luck with that, Rose," Edward said, taking Bella's hand and leading her away from the other couple. They reached the second floor and Edward pointed out different rooms as they walked to the end of the hallway where Bella saw another, smaller staircase. Edward referred to the room next to Emmett's as Rose's room and Bella remembered what he had said the other day about Rose and Jasper being like siblings.

"So Rose and Jasper both have rooms here?" Bella asked curiously.

Edward nodded. "We still have two extra guest rooms if you want to claim one as your own. One of them is next to mine," he told her with a grin.

Bella grimaced. "Yeah, I could really see Charlie going for that."

"Hey, it's chaperoned," Edward responded. "My parents' bedroom is right there," he said, gesturing back to the first door they had passed upon reaching the second floor.

Bella smiled. "I think I'll wait on that argument for the moment," she told him. "So why do they have rooms? Are they just here so much?"

Edward shrugged. "That's part of it, yeah. Like I said, they're like two extra siblings." Once again, Bella got the feeling that Edward was not telling her the whole story but she didn't press him on it as they climbed the smaller staircase to the third floor.

They reached the room at the farthest end of the hall and Edward motioned Bella to enter before him. "This is my room," he told her, following closely behind as she stepped into his bedroom and closing the door behind him. Much like the front room on the first floor, the wall opposite the door was mostly taken up by floor to ceiling windows. A large, comfortable looking couch sat in front of the windows and a bed to Bella's right took up a good portion of the room. The wall opposite the bed was taken up by two sets of shelves, one holding books while the other was absolutely filled with more CDs than Bella had ever seen in one place.

Bella looked around slowly, taking everything in, before turning back to Edward who stood next to her with an expectant look on his face. Bella meant to tell him how wonderful she thought the room was, but instead found herself blurting out what was really on her mind. "Your mom is okay with this?"

Edward looked puzzled. "With what?"

Bella gestured around her. "To this, us being alone in your room together." She was fairly certain Charlie would have a minor heart attack if she and Edward were at her house in her bedroom with the door closed.

"My parents trust me," he responded simply. He paused for a moment and a wicked smile crossed his face. "Of course, if they knew what I was thinking right now, they might think that confidence is a little misplaced at the moment." He winked at her and Bella smiled shyly, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Is that all you ever think about?" she teased.

Edward moved closer to her and took her hands in his. "No," he said seriously. "Being with you is wonderful, Bella, more amazing than anything I could ever have imagined. It's more than that, though."

"More than sex? For a teenage boy?" Bella joked nervously, trying to lighten the mood, not sure she was ready for whatever Edward was going to say.

Edward reached a hand up, gently tucking Bella's hair behind her ear and then tenderly cupping her face in his hand. "Yes, Bella. What we've shared is definitely more than just sex." Bella leaned into his touch as he continued. "Being with you, having you in my life, I just, it means so much to me. And I just wanted to-"

Whatever it was Edward was about to say was lost forever to the sharp knock at his bedroom door. Edward groaned, swearing under his breath as he dropped his hand and stepped back from Bella. "Yes?"

The door opened and Alice came gliding in. "Can I help you, Alice?" he asked tightly.

"Mom said Bella was here," Alice said with a bright smile. "I just wanted to say hello."

"And this couldn't have waited 'til dinner?"

"Why would I wait? Hi, Bella!" Alice said happily.

Bella turned to Alice, her expression dazed. "Hi, Alice," she said distractedly.

Alice glanced from the dreamy expression on Bella's face to the tense posture of her brother and realized, belatedly, that she had interrupted something. "Um, okay, I'm going to go now," she said meekly. "I'll, um, come let you guys know when it's time for dinner." Neither Edward nor Bella responded and Alice hurried from the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Edward looked at the door a moment and sighed before turning back to Bella, knowing the moment was lost. "Remember what I said about wanting to kiss and kill my family at the same time? I think I'm leaning toward the latter right now," he said dryly.

Bella smiled a little shakily, still remembering the look in Edward's eyes as he looked at her before Alice had interrupted them. The expression on his face had been so heartbreakingly tender, so sweet that she felt tears prick the corner of her eyes. Edward walked over to the stereo that sat on a table next to the bookshelves and Bella took the opportunity to quickly wipe any telltale moisture from her eyes.

Edward turned on his stereo then moved to the couch. He tucked himself into the corner of the couch and held his arms out invitingly to Bella. She didn't hesitate, quickly dropping next to him and settling herself comfortably against him. His arms wrapped around her and she rested her head against his chest, sighing happily.

"More Frames?" she asked, as music began to play softly.

"Yes," Edward said and Bella could hear the smile in his voice. "I'm trying to brainwash you."

"That's fine," Bella said, cuddling up even more closely to Edward's side.

Bella wasn't sure how long they sat there, listening to music while Edward gently played with her hair. Between the feeling of Edward's hand in her hair and the comforting sound of his steady heartbeat beneath her ear, Bella knew she had never before felt so safe or so _right_ in her life.

Suddenly, she felt Edward shift slightly beneath her. "Sorry to do this to you," he said. "But would you excuse me for a moment?" Bella reluctantly shifted and sat up straight. "Thanks," Edward said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before standing. However, instead of walking out of the room as Bella had expected him to do, he turned to face her.

"May I have this dance?" Edward asked, holding out a hand.

Bella grimaced. "Not if you value your feet," she told him honestly. "I'm sure you've noticed, I'm not exactly the most graceful person alive."

Edward smiled. "It's all in the leading," he told her, taking her hand and helping her to her feet. He pulled her close to him. "And I promise I won't let you fall."

Bella forced herself to relax and rested her head against Edward's shoulder with a sigh. "Well, this part isn't so bad anyway," she murmured as her eyes fluttered closed.

Edward smiled contentedly as he closed his eyes and let his head rest against the top of Bella's. "This is definitely my favorite part," he agreed softly, his arms wrapping tightly around her back and holding her close.

"So, how was the rest of your day?" Edward asked quietly. "I hope you didn't have to deal with a lot of stares and gossip."

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Bella said lightly.

Edward knew Bella was most likely downplaying her discomfort with the attention she had received throughout the day and he hugged her close for a moment. "I'm sorry," he said gently.

"For what?" Bella asked, drawing back to look at Edward in confusion.

"For all the crap you had to deal with today. I wish other people in this town had better things to do with their time."

"Trust me," Bella said, looking up into his eyes. "I'll take this trade off any day."

Edward smiled down at her, his eyes soft. "Thank you." He pulled her close again and kissed her. Bella responded readily, her lips parting beneath Edward's as she gave herself over completely to the kiss and the powerful emotions raging through her.

They were pulled abruptly from their embrace by a knock at the door. "Edward, Bella, dinner's ready," Alice called cheerfully.

Edward sighed. "Thanks, Alice," he called. "We'll be right down." He looked down at Bella. "To be continued," he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He drew back reluctantly, still holding her hand, and led Bella downstairs to dinner.

The two walked into the dining room where the rest of Edward's siblings were already setting up for dinner. Alice was filling water glasses while Rose, Emmett, and Jasper carried in bowls of pasta, salad, and a basket of bread.

"Is dad home?" Edward asked Alice.

She nodded. "He's in the kitchen with mom if you want to go introduce Bella." She smiled reassuringly at Bella and Bella smiled back, once again nervous at the prospect of meeting more of Edward's family.

Edward squeezed her hand. "Ready?" he asked, so softly that only Bella heard him.

She smiled up at him. "I trust you," she responded simply.

He smiled down at her and led her into the kitchen. Esme was pulling salad dressing out of the fridge while talking with a tall, handsome blond man who was pouring red wine into two glasses. "Hi, dad," Edward said.

The blond man looked up at smiled. "This must be Bella," he said, putting down the wine bottle and walking over to the two of them. "Bella, I'm Carlisle," he said, reaching out and shaking her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."

Bella smiled shyly. "Thank you. It's nice to meet you, too." Esme came over to stand next to her husband, two bottles of salad dressing in her hand. Looking at the extremely attractive couple in front of her, Bella found it was easy to see where Edward, Emmett, and Alice had gotten their good looks.

"Do you need us to carry anything in?" Bella asked.

Esme smiled at her. "Thanks, sweetie, but I think we've got everything. Carlisle and I just need to bring in our drinks and the salad dressing and we'll be all set. Why don't you guys go have a seat and we'll be right behind you?"

Edward nodded. "Thanks, mom." Hand in hand, he and Bella walked back into the dining room. Jasper, the only one Bella had not yet seen, was seated on the far side of the table next to Alice. "Hi, Bella," he said easily. "Glad you could make it."

Bella smiled. "Thanks." Edward pulled out the chair opposite to Alice's seat for her and Bella sat

down. Edward took the seat next to her with Emmett on his left and Rose sitting across the table next to Jasper.

Carlisle and Esme entered the room and took their seats at the heads of the table and the food began to make its way around the table. The conversation flowed easily with everyone including Bella in it seemingly without thought. Bella for her part found herself relaxing quickly in the friendly environment, loving how everyone felt the freedom to be themselves and share what they really thought as they all talked and teased and laughed. Even Rosalie, Bella noted, was talking and open and smiling more than Bella could ever recall seeing her smile before.

When dinner ended, Jasper, Alice, and Carlisle cleared the plates from the table. "Clean up crew," Edward said softly in response to Bella's questioning look. Bella only nodded, relieved that she would not have to risk the possibility of breaking dishes and ruining any good impression she might have made on Edward's family thus far.

The family sat around the table awhile longer, talking, before Edward glanced at his watch. "I should get Bella home," he announced.

Bella looked at the time and reluctantly agreed. She and Edward stood and Bella was embarrassed to see that the rest of the family rose as well to say goodbye. Alice bounced around the table and hugged Bella. "I'm glad you came, Bella," she said sincerely. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Bella couldn't help smiling at the enthusiastic pixie. "Thanks, Alice."

From her position next to Bella, Esme stepped over to Bella and gave her a gentle hug. "Thank you for coming, Bella," she said, pulling back and holding Bella's arms gently. "Remember, you're welcome here any time."

"Thank you, Esme," Bella said, blushing only slightly. "And thank you for having me."

The others said their farewells and Edward and Bella eventually exited the house. Edward held Bella's door for her and then crossed in front of the car and slid into the driver's seat. "Not so terrible, right?" he said, looking over at Bella.

Bella could see how nervous Edward was and she smiled quickly to ease his worries. "Not at all," she said. "Your family is wonderful, Edward. They were all really nice and I didn't feel nearly as awkward and out of place as I thought I would."

Edward's smile was equal parts relief and happiness. "I'm glad," he told her, leaning across and kissing her. "Otherwise, I was going to have to go out there and find a new family," he teased when he pulled back.

Bella rolled her eyes but she was smiling. Edward grinned back before starting the car and turning around in the drive. He took possession of her hand once more, resting it in his lap, and didn't release it until they were in front of Bella's house.

Bella found that she felt oddly like Cinderella at midnight when Edward shut off the car and turned to face her fully. "Guess this is my stop," she said, trying to hide the strangely empty feeling that was suddenly taking up residence in her stomach.

Edward smiled wistfully. "Unfortunately," he agreed. He hesitated a moment before speaking again. "Would you let me drive you to school tomorrow?" Edward asked, his expression both shy and hopeful at the same time.

Bella smiled happily. "I would love that," she told him honestly.

Edward beamed back at her. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow, then," he said, running a hand softly down her jawline.

Bella smiled dreamily. "Okay. Goodnight, Edward."

Edward leaned forward to kiss her once, twice, before pulling back. "Goodnight, love," he said, smiling tenderly at her.

Bella reluctantly opened the door and climbed out of the car. She walked to her front door and turned back to find that Edward had not moved. Smiling, she waved at him and let herself inside. Only when she was safely inside with the door closed behind her did she hear Edward's car start up and drive away.

"Bella? Is that you?" Charlie called as Bella closed the front door behind her.

"Hi, dad," Bella said, walking into the living room. Charlie sat in his favorite chair, an empty plate in front of him and the Mariners game on the TV.

"Dinner at Angela's?" Charlie asked, looking over at her.

Bella braced herself. "Um, no, actually I was at Edward Cullen's house." Charlie opened his mouth and Bella raced on before he could speak. "He invited me to have dinner and meet his parents because we're, um, we're sort of dating now. And he's coming over tomorrow night for dinner because he wants to meet you properly. And, um, yeah. So is that okay?"

Charlie looked surprised and for a moment could only stare back at Bella. "Um, okay?" he said finally.

Bella smiled in relief. "Thanks, dad."

"You said Edward Cullen. Is that Dr. Cullen's son?"

Bella nodded. "His _youngest_ son." She put special emphasis on the word. No need for Charlie to freak out if he for some reason confused Emmett and Edward and decided that he was too old for Bella. "His oldest son, Emmett, is a senior but Edward and his sister Alice are juniors like I am." She hesitated a moment. "And, um, he's really important, dad. To me. So please be nice to him."

Charlie studied her face a moment. "Okay, Bells," he said finally. "I'll be on my best behavior." He turned back to the Mariners game and Bella breathed a sigh of relief. That was Charlie's way of saying the conversation was over.

"Thanks, dad," she said again. "Um, I'm just going to go up and do some homework and then go to bed."

"Okay, Bells. I'll see you in the morning," Charlie said distractedly, leaning forward as the Mariners' center fielder caught a fly ball and sent the ball flying toward home and the runner approaching the plate.

Bella stopped in the kitchen to grab her bag from where she had left it earlier and headed upstairs to her room. Well, that had gone a lot better than she had hoped, she thought as she sank down onto her bed in relief. She grinned to herself, making a mental note that in the future she should always talk to Charlie about important matters while the Mariners were on.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being there every step of the way to bounce ideas off of and to offer up some fantastic ones of her own. She's my muse + collaborator and she is awesome! Thanks also to everyone who has stuck with me this long even when I was so bad about my last update. You guys are awesome and I appreciate every person who reads, reviews, favorites, and alerts. This is for all of you.

Chapter 6

**********

The next morning, Edward drove to Bella's house to pick her up for school. The Frames played loudly on his stereo and he knew he must look a little mad to people driving by as he sang along to the music with an enormous smile on his face. He couldn't help it, though. Last night had gone so well with Bella meeting his parents and he couldn't be happier. It was more than just last night, though. The past few days had been the best of Edward's life. He didn't know how he had gone this long without Bella in his life and he knew he never wanted to go back to a time when she wasn't there with him.

With a grin, his thoughts drifted back to the night before and what had happened upon his return from driving Bella home.

************

_Flashback_

************

Edward let himself in through the front door, his thoughts still occupied with Bella and the feel of her soft lips beneath his. "Edward?" he heard his mom call.

He made his way to the living room where he found his parents curled up together on the couch watching the end of an old movie. "Hi," he said.

Esme smiled up at her youngest son. "Thank you for bringing Bella to dinner, Edward," she said. "I was so happy to meet her. She's lovely."

Edward grinned, sliding a glance over at his father. Carlisle nodded slightly, smiling back at his son. "She's welcome here anytime," he said.

Edward's smile grew. "Thanks, mom and dad," he said. "I'm gonna go up to my room, get some work done."

His parents smiled back. "Okay, sweetheart," Esme said. "See you in the morning." She was still smiling widely at him and Edward couldn't stop the goofy smile that spread across his face in response to his mother's obvious joy.

"Night." Edward made his way up the stairs knowing full well he was not going to be able to concentrate enough to do any homework at the moment.

Edward was walking through the hallway on the second floor when he heard Rose call his name. She was sitting on her bed with her History book open on the bed in front of her and Edward stopped in the open doorway to her room. "Hey, Rose," he said. "Spending the night?"

A grimace flashed across Rose's face, the expression passing so quickly that a person who didn't know Rose better would never have seen it. "Yeah," she said, her tone ultra casual.

Edward didn't press – this was a pretty frequent occurrence and it didn't strike him as the slightest bit odd. "What's up? Need help with your homework?" he teased. Despite the way people judged Rose based on her appearance, she was quite intelligent and rarely, if ever, needed assistance on any assignment.

"Funny," she said with a smile. "I just wanted to see if you had talked to Carlisle and Esme about Bella. They were both really happy for you and Esme couldn't stop talking about Bella after you guys left."

Edward grinned widely. "Yeah?" Rose nodded in affirmation. "I saw them when I came in. They told me they were happy for me, but it's nice to get it from another source, too."

"How did Bella like them?" Rose asked, genuinely interested.

"She said she likes everyone a lot," Edward said, a proud smile on his face. "She said everyone is great to her and she felt very comfortable here."

Rose smiled. "I'm glad, Edward," she said sincerely. "I'm really happy that you two found each other."

Edward smiled back at his sister at the unexpected words. "Thanks, Rosie," he said.

Rose smiled back and then pursed her lips slightly. "All right, you can get out now," she told him. "I have to finish this crap before I can go to bed."

Edward grinned, Rose's sudden change in tone not fazing him in the slightest. He knew it was her way of dealing with a situation that she found too uncomfortable or emotional. "I'm gone," he told her. "Night, big sister."

He slipped out of the room before Rose could respond but Edward saw the soft smile that crossed Rose's face at his words. Edward continued on to his bedroom, ready to climb into bed and dream about Bella until he could hold her in his arms again. However, he had no sooner changed into his pajamas than he heard a quick rapping on the door. Edward sighed but couldn't help smiling. He knew exactly who was at his door. "Come in, Alice," he called, dropping down to sit on his bed.

Alice bounced into the room, the excitement rolling off of her in waves. "So, that went great, don't you think?" she said. She sat down at the foot of Edward's bed, her legs tucked beneath her. "Mom and dad really liked her. Was she okay? Was it too weird for her or anything?"

Edward grinned at the words that spilled fast and furious from Alice's mouth. "Bella said she felt very comfortable here and she likes everyone very much. You guys have all been great to her." He looked directly at Alice. "Thanks for that."

Alice waved it off. "She makes it very easy, Edward," she replied. "She's a great girl and you two are so perfect together. We're all really happy for you."

Edward smiled, thinking of Rose's words to him only minutes earlier. "Thanks, Alice," he said. "I'm kinda thrilled myself," he admitted.

Alice smiled. "Mom is, like, beyond thrilled," she told him. "After you guys left, she couldn't stop talking about you guys. Dad smiled and said Bella seemed very nice before excusing himself – you know how he is. Emmett and Jasper got out of there pretty quick, too, but Rose and I stayed with mom for a little bit. Mom couldn't get over how happy you guys looked together and how wonderful and sweet and smart Bella is."

Edward smiled, his expression far away. "She is," he agreed. "All of those things and more."

Alice smiled fondly at her brother. "Okay, well I'm going to go to bed," she told him. "I just wanted to make sure you knew how everyone felt and see how Bella felt about us."

"Thanks, Alice."

"Sweet dreams," Alice said with a smile before practically dancing out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Edward smiled, pulling back the covers on his bed. He turned the bedside light out then curled up beneath his comforter with a sigh of utter contentment. Tonight had gone perfectly and soon he would be with Bella again. He closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep and dreams of the two of them together.

*************

_End Flashback_

*************

Back in the present, Edward's smile grew as his thoughts drifted to moments the two had shared. He loved her, of this he was absolutely certain. He was still a little nervous about telling her this as their relationship was still so young, but he knew he wouldn't be able to keep his true feelings hidden much longer. He had almost told her the night before in his bedroom before Alice had interrupted them and he now decided that he would wait for the perfect moment to tell her how he felt. Their first time making love had been on the floor of a biology closet and while Edward didn't regret it for a second, he wanted the timing to be special and perfect when he confessed his love to Bella. He began to think of possibilities for how and where and when he would tell her and before he knew it, he was pulling into her driveway.

It was all he could do to keep himself from running to her front door. He knocked on the door, waiting impatiently for Bella to answer. Finally, the door opened and Bella stood before him smiling.

"Hi," she said.

Edward stepped into the house, pulling Bella into his arms and kissing her sweetly. "Hi, yourself," he said when he drew back, a wide smile on his face. Bella blushed and Edward fought down the hot flush of arousal her reaction triggered in him. "Ready to go?" he asked, knowing if he didn't get her out of the house soon, they might actually never make it to school. Bella nodded and they exited the house together, Edward taking Bella's hand in his own as soon as she had locked the door behind her.

He opened her car door for her then walked around the car and climbed into the driver's seat. "So," he said casually as they began the drive to school, "my parents really enjoyed meeting you last night."

"Really?" Bella asked nervously.

Edward nodded. "They said you were very nice and you're welcome at our house anytime." He glanced at Bella and saw that while she was blushing, there was also an enormous smile on her face. "Looks like now all we have to worry about is Chief Swan deciding if I'm good enough for his little girl."

Bella reached over and took his right hand, squeezing it gently before placing their joined hands on her thigh. "Don't worry," she told him confidently. "He's going to love you." _What parent wouldn't?_ she thought to herself. _The smart, polite, handsome captain of the football team? What's not to love?_

Bella was pulled from her thoughts by a vaguely familiar song playing on the speakers. She listened a moment then smiled. "Is this Revelate?"

Edward smiled at her in surprise. "Very good," he teased her. "I knew that Frames brainwashing was going to take hold."

Bella grinned back. "I think it's my favorite," she confessed. "Something about the build up of the music and his voice. It's just very powerful." She blushed as Edward stared at her silently. "What?" she asked self-consciously. "Am I being too weird?"

Edward shook his head slowly. "Not at all," he told her. "You just seem to be reading my mind on my favorite song." Bella grinned shyly, ducking her head for a moment. Edward squeezed her hand and she looked back up. "That reminds me, I wanted to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Well, you know how it's Spring Break and all next week." Bella nodded. "I was wondering if you would like to go see the Frames play next weekend. I thought it might be a nice way to end break."

"The Frames? Next weekend?" Bella smiled excitedly. "That sounds fantastic."

Edward smiled back. "It's going to be amazing. They're going to be in Port Angeles that last Saturday of Spring Break and Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Rose are all going, too. They rarely tour so it's already sold out – it's going to be packed."

"I can't wait," Bella told him honestly as they pulled into the school parking lot. Edward turned off the car and came around to open Bella's door for her. As he was helping her from the car, Bella spotted Alice and the others almost immediately and she and Edward quickly made their way over to where they stood, talking and laughing comfortably amongst themselves until it was time to separate for their first classes of the day.

* * *

When Bella exited the girls' locker room after gym, Edward was waiting for her. "You don't have to meet me after every class, you know," she said automatically, instantly resisting the urge to bite her tongue savagely at her own words. She loved the fact that Edward walked her to every class and she certainly didn't want him to think she wanted him to stop.

"Am I embarrassing you?" Edward asked. "I guess I'm being selfish. I really like getting to walk you to every class, but I'll stop if it's making you uncomfortable."

"No!" Bella blurted, her cheeks flushing crimson when Edward grinned at her outburst. "I mean, no, it's definitely not a bad thing. I just thought _I_ was the one being selfish. I mean, I don't want you to feel like you have to walk me-"

Her words were abruptly cut off by Edward's lips against hers. "You're so cute when you're flustered," he teased her, taking her hand in his. Bella looked down, abashed, and Edward squeezed her hand gently. "So, should we just agree that we both get to be selfish and I get to keep walking you to class?" he asked as they entered the science wing.

Bella looked up at Edward, marveling once again that this incredibly gorgeous, wonderful boy actually _wanted_ to be with her. "That sounds good to me," she agreed as they stopped at the door to her Biology class.

Edward glanced over Bella's shoulder and he smiled ruefully. "Here comes Alice," he told her. "And there goes my time with you."

Bella smiled back. "I'll see you after class," she promised as Alice reached them. "Hi, Bella, Edward," Alice said. She took Bella by the arm and steered her into the classroom. "Bye, Edward." Edward rolled his eyes, waving to Jasper before turning and making his way to his own class.

Inside the classroom, Jasper found Alice chattering excitedly to Bella and Angela. "It went so well," Alice was gushing. "My parents just _loved_ her. Mom couldn't stop talking about her after she and Edward left and they're both so happy for him."

Jasper could see Bella's face getting redder by the moment as Alice continued on and he smoothly interrupted the furious babble of Alice's words. "Alice, you promised to go over the reading with me before class started," he said. "Hi, Bella. Hi, Angela."

Alice looked momentarily confused. "I did? Oh, yeah! We were going to do it last night, but I was just way too wired to concentrate," she told the two girls.

Angela nodded, smiling, while Bella continued to blush. "We'll see you guys later," Jasper said, winking at Bella as he led Alice over to their own table.

"Sounds like last night went well," Angela commented wryly.

Bella groaned softly. "It did. I mean, it was wonderful and his parents were great. I just wish that Alice hadn't felt the need to share that news with the entire class."

Angela glanced around them noticing that some of their classmates _did_ seem a little too interested in what was going on at their table. Angela waved a hand. "Who cares about them? The important thing is that you met his family and you all got along."

"And tonight he's coming for dinner and meeting Charlie," Bella said. "God, what was I thinking?"

"Bella, relax," Angela said, patting her arm comfortingly. "Your dad's a little quiet, sure, but he's not going to be mean to Edward or anything. Just watch, everything will be fine."

Bella sighed as Doc Marin called class to order from the front of the room. "I hope you're right, Ang."

* * *

If possible, Bella found that the day seemed to go both incredibly quickly while at the same time dragging. She was nervous about Edward and Charlie meeting, but at the same time she just wanted to get it over with so she could stop worrying about it. By the time English class was over, Bella found herself still in two minds about the coming evening. The sight of Edward waiting outside of her classroom, however, was all she needed to put her mind at ease.

Ignoring everyone else around them, Edward pulled Bella to him and kissed her softly. "I missed you," he said softly.

Bella smiled up at him, the butterflies rushing crazily around her stomach. "I missed you, too," she said.

Edward caught sight of something over Bella's shoulder. "Incoming," he muttered. "Let's get out of here."

Bella glanced behind her and saw Lauren Mallory walking purposefully toward them. "Definitely time to go," she agreed, the two quickly making their way to the cafeteria.

In the lunch line, Edward stood behind Bella with his hands lightly skimming her hips. Despite the stares they were getting, Bella found she didn't much care and rested her hands on top of Edward's. Angela was right, who cared what anyone else thought? She had Edward and they were happy together, there was no reason she should have to hide that from anyone.

They paid for their lunches and made their way across the room to a table where Edward's other siblings were already seated. The second she sat down, Bella immediately popped back up from her seat. "Whoops. Forgot a fork. I'll be right back." She stood again and walked over to the area of the cafeteria where the utensils and condiments were kept. Edward and Jasper started talking to each other but their conversation was soon interrupted by Emmett.

"Uh-oh," Emmett said. "Looks like someone didn't get the memo on Edward and Bella."

Edward raised an eyebrow, refusing to allow his older brother to bait him. "How's that, Emmett?" he asked, keeping his tone bland.

"Looks like Hurley's moving in on your girl," Emmett said with a grin.

Edward turned in the direction Emmett was staring and saw Aaron Hurley and Bella standing near the utensil station, talking and smiling. Aaron was standing rather close to Bella and Edward's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. Bella smiled at something Aaron said and then turned to walk back to the table. Edward quickly turned back to face the table so that Bella would not see him staring and waited impatiently for her to take her seat next to him once more.

Bella sat down next to Edward and placed an individual sized bottle of Diet Pepsi on the table in front of her. "Where did that come from?" Edward asked, trying and failing to keep his tone casual.

Bella smiled. "Aaron Hurley gave it to me," she told him. "He said he forgot to give us the soda we ordered on Saturday night so he felt he owed me. I thought it was very nice of him." She opened the soda and offered it to Edward. "Want some?"

Edward shook his head, fighting down the unexpected surge of jealousy he felt at Bella's complimentary words about Aaron. When Bella put the bottle back on the table, Edward picked up her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "What do you want to do next week during break?" he asked.

Bella smiled. "I don't know. Did you have anything in particular in mind?"

Edward shrugged. "It might be nice to do something special or go somewhere," he replied. "But as long as I get to spend it with you, I don't care what we do."

Bella blushed and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to Edward's lips. "Agreed," she said softly.

"Hey, Bella," Emmett said, interrupting the moment.

Edward groaned but Bella turned to Emmett with a smile. "What's up, Emmett?"

"Well, your dad's the chief of police," Emmett began, a big grin on his face. Bella nodded for him to continue. "Does he ever bring his gun home? Or does he have a couple special ones he keeps at home for when you bring guys over?"

"Funny," Edward growled. He was nervous enough about meeting Bella's father – he didn't need his big brother's teasing to add to his stress.

Bella ran her thumb in gentle circles on the back of Edward's hand and he felt himself relax almost immediately. "He always brings his gun home, Emmett," she told him. She turned and looked directly into Edward's eyes. "But I don't know about 'special' guns – I've never brought someone home to meet him before."

Rose smiled at the way Edward and Bella seemed able to communicate with only their eyes. The nervous expression left Edward's face completely then and Rose elbowed Emmett none too gently when she realized he was planning on continuing to torture Edward about meeting Chief Swan.

"What are we doing next week for break, Alice?" Rose asked, directing the conversation away from Edward and Bella.

"Does anybody have any ideas or preferences?" Alice asked. She continued before anyone could speak. "I think we should do a few day trips – the beach, Seattle. Maybe we could do an overnight trip to Portland or something. This amazing new French boutique just opened in Vancouver and I'd love to have a chance to check it out."

Everyone groaned at this, knowing full well that to Alice 'checking it out' meant spending an entire day doing nothing but shopping. "What?" Alice said defensively. "I'm not that bad!"

Jasper wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "No, of course not," he said soothingly. "But maybe we should figure out something we can all do together that everyone can get really excited about."

The rest of the lunch period was spent discussing various destinations and the pros and cons of each location and the activities each place offered. When the hour was over, Bella and Emmett said their good-byes to everyone before heading off to Spanish together.

Edward watched the two walk across the lunchroom. Emmett was obviously telling a story, his hands expressively waving in front of him, and Bella was laughing. "Looks like Emmett has another little sister."

Edward turned to see Rose watching the pair as well. "He's just being-"

Rose held up a hand. "Friendly, I know. I'm not worried about that. In fact, I think it's sweet. I think Bella could probably use a big brother or two to look out for her when it comes to some of the girls in this school. And the guys."

Edward nodded at Rose, thanking her without words for her apparent acceptance of Bella. "I'm going to class. Alice, you coming?" Rose asked, abruptly changing the subject. The four teenagers rose as one from the table and set off to their fifth period classes.

* * *

When the bell rang at the end of the school day, Bella felt her stomach twist nervously for a moment. This was it, Charlie and Edward were really going to meet in just a few hours. Taking a deep breath, she gathered up her books and turned to Edward with a smile. No sense in making him nervous by adding her own anxiety to the situation. She just had to trust that Charlie wouldn't let her down and would give Edward a chance.

She and Edward collected the books they would need from their lockers and then walked out to the parking lot. As Edward was holding Bella's door open for her, Rose's car drove past them. "Bye, guys!" Alice called.

"Good luck," Emmett added with a wicked smirk.

Edward looked down at Bella and noticed she suddenly looked a little nervous. "Hey." He bent down, cupping her face in his hand. "Don't worry, okay? Emmett's just being stupid. He does that. Everything's going to be fine."

Bella smiled weakly. "I know," she said. She didn't say anything more and Edward gently closed her door before walking around and climbing into the driver's seat.

"Aren't I supposed to be the nervous one?" Edward teased. "You know, meeting the chief of police's only daughter as the first guy she's ever brought home."

Bella forced a smile. "I know. It's just, well, I can't help it. This is just all so important, _you_ are so important, and I just want you guys to really hit it off and get along. I know I'm being silly, but…"

She trailed off and Edward pulled her into his arms. "You're not being silly," he told her gently. "And I know you're nervous, but this is all going to work out. Your dad loves you and he only wants what's best for you." He pressed a tender kiss to her lips. "And it's up to me to show him that that is me." The serious expression in his eyes belied his cheeky grin and Bella felt herself calming.

"You're right," she said. "I'm overreacting." She reached a hand up to his face and Edward's eyes closed as he leaned into her gentle touch. "And I trust you," she said.

Edward opened his eyes and met her gaze with his own, smiling softly. "Thank you," he said, leaning forward to kiss her again. This kiss was more passionate than their previous one and Bella had to hold herself back from climbing onto Edward's lap. Finally, Edward pulled back. "We should probably go," he said, regret clear in his voice.

Bella nodded, not trusting her voice yet, and settled herself back into her seat, fastening her seat belt around her. Edward took Bella's hand in his own as they drove to Bella's house in comfortable silence.

"So," Edward said when they had arrived at Bella's house. "What's on the menu for tonight?"

"Chicken pot pie," Bella answered as she unlocked the front door and let them into the house. "It's pretty easy and it's one of Charlie's favorites, so win-win."

Edward followed Bella into the kitchen where she immediately began to pull out pans and ingredients. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

Bella shook her head. "Nope. You can do work or watch TV or whatever you want to do."

"I'd rather stay here and talk to you," Edward responded, settling himself into one of the kitchen chairs.

Bella flushed, a pleased smile on her face. "Works for me," she said happily. "Tell me about your favorite places you've ever been on vacation."

Edward told Bella about several different family trips to Ireland, Australia, and South Africa, his vibrant descriptions making Bella feel almost as if she had been there, too. An hour later, the pie was ready to be cooked and Bella slipped the pie into the oven and turned the timer on. "There. Now we wait about 40 minutes, and we're all set for dinner." She turned to Edward. "Want to go watch TV or something while we wait?"

Edward nodded and the pair walked into the living room together. They sat down on the couch but when Bella picked up the remote, Edward gently took it from her hands and laid it on the end table next to the couch. "I'd rather just talk," he said honestly in response to Bella's questioning look.

"Okay," Bella replied. "Anything in particular on your mind?"

"I was kind of wondering about your plans after school," Edward confessed. "After next year, it's off to Dartmouth and then what do you want to do after that?"

"I never said I was definitely going to Dartmouth." Edward looked at her in surprise. "Why would I want to go to Dartmouth?" Bella tried to keep a straight face but couldn't help grinning at Edward's expression.

"Tease," Edward said. He pulled Bella into his lap. "And I could think of a good reason or two for you to go to Dartmouth," he murmured before capturing her lips in a heated kiss.

When they finally separated, Bella was flushed. "Well, that seems like a good reason," she said. Edward grinned. "However, I'm not sure I'm convinced."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He pressed a kissed to her throat then trailed kisses up her neck and down her jawline. "How about now?"

"Mmm, nope," Bella said.

Edward's lips moved back up Bella's jawline and behind her ear. He felt her shiver as he gently bit her earlobe. "Now?"

"Mmmm, it may have possibilities," Bella said, her voice breathless, "but I'm still not sure."

Edward growled low in his throat before his lips crashed down on Bella's. Bella's lips parted on a moan and she pressed herself flush against Edward. Her hands drifted down to the hem of Edward's shirt and then up underneath it, her nails scraping lightly against his skin. Edward moaned, his hands tangling in Bella's hair, pulling her even closer.

One of Bella's hands slipped from underneath Edward's shirt and traveled down between their bodies. She could feel Edward's erection pressing into her thigh and she gently slid her hand over him. Edward groaned before pulling back, setting Bella on the couch and standing up quickly.

"Now who's not playing fair?" he said, breathing heavily.

Bella looked up at him in wide-eyed innocence. "What do you possibly mean?"

Edward mock glared at her. "The death of me, Bella, I swear." He flopped down next to Bella on the couch once more. "Not exactly the impression I want to make on your father," he said, taking her hand in his and lacing his fingers through hers. "All I can figure is you're either trying to torture me to death, or let your father do the job with his service gun."

Bella snickered, resting her head against Edward's shoulder. "You started it," she reminded him.

"And I would be only too happy to finish it," he said honestly. "But, like I said, it's not exactly going to endear me to your father if he walks in on that."

Bella couldn't help smiling at Edward's words. "I wish we could finish, too," she mumbled, hiding her face in his shoulder.

Edward smiled, tilting Bella's chin up so she met his gaze. "Maybe we should stick to talking," he said ruefully, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Seems like the safest way to pass the time for now."

Bella blushed, nodding her head in agreement. She pulled back a little from Edward and sat sideways on the couch facing him, her legs tucked beneath her. "So, where were we?" she asked.

"I believe I was asking what you were planning on doing after Dartmouth. Hypothetically, of course, provided you go to Dartmouth."

"Of course," Bella said with a grin. "Actually, I was thinking of becoming a social worker," she responded immediately. "Or maybe I'll go to law school and be a public interest lawyer. Just as long as I'm doing something where I can actually help people, you know? Something where I'll be making a positive difference in someone's life. Otherwise, I'll just feel like I've wasted those four years at school." Bella stopped, her cheeks going pink. "I sound unbelievably cheesy, don't I?"

Edward shook his head, captivated by the earnest tone of her voice. "You sound unbelievably wonderful," he told her softly. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Not that I'm surprised, of course. You are the kindest, most caring and wonderful person I've ever been lucky enough to know."

Bella was blushing furiously now but she couldn't help the happiness that flooded through her at Edward's words. They sat in silence just gazing at each other for a few moments before Bella broke the silence. "What about you? What are your plans?"

"I was thinking maybe about medical school. I know it's not very original, you know, son of a doctor going to medical school," he said.

"But there's something else," Bella guessed.

Edward's head darted up and he smiled at her. "Sometimes, you're too perceptive," he mused.

Bella shrugged. "Well, you sound kind of lukewarm about med school. I mean, I'm sure you would be a wonderful doctor, but I also imagine that you would have a, um, a certain passion about what you want to do with your life and I'm not hearing it when you talk about med school." She blushed and looked down at her hands clasped in her lap. "Or I could just be way off the mark," she mumbled.

Edward could only stare at Bella a moment, stunned at just how well she was able to read him. How on earth had he lived this long without her in his life? He saw that Bella was blushing and he hurried to speak. "You're not off the mark," he assured her. "There is a part of me that does want to go to med school like my dad, to live a life where I can give back and help people." He paused, raking a hand through his messy hair. "And then there's the selfish side of me," he said with a sigh.

Bella reached over and took his hands in hers. The look on her face was reassuring and Edward continued. "I wasn't, um, completely honest with you last night at my house. When you asked me if I play piano, I believe what I told you was "a little." He grimaced slightly. "That was pretty far from the truth."

"Are you telling me you don't play at all?" Bella asked in mock horror. "Oh, Edward, I thought I knew you!"

Edward gave her a look but couldn't help smiling. "No, I do play, that's the thing," he told her. "I play a lot and I play very well. I've even composed some of my own music."

"Edward, that's wonderful," Bella said. "Can I hear you play sometime?"

"Maybe," Edward replied. "You'll have to earn it though," he told her, a teasing glint in his eye.

Bella smacked him in the shoulder, laughing. "So there's a part of you that wants to go to school for music, yes?"

Edward nodded. "I know I have a little time to figure it out, I just wish I knew for sure which one I want to do. I envy you – you're so definite about what you want to do. It must be such a relief, just knowing like that."

Bella shrugged again. "Yeah, it kind of hit me one day and that was it," she said. "So, what do your parents think about you pursuing music?"

Edward smiled. "They're supportive of whatever I choose to do," he told her. "That's the way they've always been with all of us." He paused and looked down at Bella. "My family and now you are the only ones who know about this possibility." He hesitated a moment. "Would you mind terribly not mentioning it to Angela or anyone else? At least not yet, not before I've figured out what I want to do?"

"Of course," Bella said, curling up against his side.

Edward wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "Thank you," he said softly, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her head.

They sat on the couch together for awhile in contented silence until they heard the stove timer go off. "Dinner calls," Bella said with a sigh, reluctantly pulling back from Edward's side. He stood and helped Bella to her feet then followed her back into the kitchen.

Bella pulled the pie from the oven, testing it to make sure it was done and then nodding in satisfaction as she turned the oven off. "Is there anything I can do?" Edward asked.

Bella shook her head automatically. "No, we should be all set. Let me just make a salad and we'll be good."

"Bella." Edward stood between Bella and the refrigerator. "Can I at least make the salad? You've done all this work, I have to earn my keep somehow."

Bella smiled. "I think you do that just fine already," she told him, leaning up to kiss him gently. "But if you insist, I'm not going to stop you." She pulled out some vegetables and a large salad bowl, laying them out on the counter. "Have at it," she said with a grin.

While Edward threw together the salad, Bella set the kitchen table, conversation flowing easily between the two the entire time.

Edward had just returned the remaining vegetables to the refrigerator when he and Bella heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Bella tensed immediately and Edward hugged her. "It's going to be fine," he promised, kissing her lips lightly before stepping back. "Trust me."

Bella nodded, taking a deep breath as she heard the front door open. "Bella?"

"We're in the kitchen, dad," she called back. As her father approached, Bella threw up a quick prayer to whoever might be listening that the evening would go well.

"Hi, dad," Bella said as Charlie entered the kitchen. "Dad, this is Edward Cullen. Edward, my dad."

Edward stepped forward, holding out his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, sir," he said.

"You're Doctor Cullen's son, that right?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, sir," Edward responded politely.

"Your dad's a good man," Charlie said with a nod, shaking Edward's hand briefly. "I've worked with him on a couple of cases. He has a real good bedside manner, too – he's helped us get statements out of some of our more reluctant witnesses in the past."

Edward smiled. "I'm very lucky," he responded serenely.

His words were directed at Charlie but Charlie did not miss the utterly devoted look Edward gave Bella at these words and he rolled his eyes, hoping he wasn't going to have to sit through an entire evening of the two mooning over each other.

Charlie glanced over at the stove and saw the pie cooling on top of it. "Chicken pie, Bells?" he asked with a small smile.

Bella nodded. "Yep. And Edward made the salad," she added, carrying the pie to the table while Edward set the salad bowl down next to Charlie. Charlie only grunted in response and began cutting the pie into slices. Bella glanced helplessly at Edward but he only smiled soothingly at her, holding her chair out before taking his own seat across from her.

They ate without any conversation for a little while and Bella found her anxiety increasing with the length of the silence. Finally, she not so subtly nudged Charlie with her foot, looking at him imploringly when he glanced up at her. Charlie groaned silently. The last thing he wanted to do was make polite conversation while he was trying to eat. But, he had promised Bella he would be nice and hated the thought of disappointing her. Quickly racking his brain, he came up with what he figured was a relatively safe, if dull, question. "So, Edward," Charlie began, "you, uh, you thought about what you're doing for college yet?"

"Yes, sir," Edward replied. "I-"

"Edward's been accepted to Dartmouth early, too," Bella blurted out.

Edward raised an eyebrow at Bella, his expression amused, but Bella just shrugged, raising her glass to take a drink of water. "Really?" Charlie said, clearly surprised. "So, is that how you two met? Some kind of early college prep thing?"

Bella nearly choked on her water and Edward hurried to answer. "Bella and I sit next to each other in History," he said smoothly.

"Oh," Charlie said, nodding slightly. They ate in silence for a little while until Edward spoke up.

"Bella tells me you like to fish, Chief Swan."

"Yep," Charlie said, barely looking up from his dinner. Bella gave him a pleading look and he sighed internally. "Do you like to fish, Edward?"

"My father used to take us all fishing when we were younger," Edward replied. "There was this spot he loved, off of Jumper's Hole Road."

Charlie raised an eyebrow, interested in spite of himself. "Really? Never tried that one."

"You might want to check it out," Edward told him. "It's been a few years since we've been, but we had some of our more successful fishing trips there. It's best to go right before sunrise or right at twilight, from what I remember."

"I'll have to check that out," Charlie said, nodding. "So did your dad teach you all fly fishing or what?"

Edward and Charlie began talking about fishing – spots to fish, lures, rods, reels, and bait – while Bella watched silently. She had absolutely no idea what they were talking about but she was thrilled that they _were_ talking. Charlie wasn't the most talkative person in the world but right now he seemed very animated as he and Edward shared fishing stories and Bella hid a smile as she watched the two most important men in her life talking so comfortably with each other.

Edward and Charlie continued talking about fishing through the rest of the meal. Bella brought out dishes of ice cream for dessert and they moved on to discussing the Mariners and a recent pitching acquisition. As he was finishing up his bowl of ice cream, Charlie caught sight of his watch. "The game's started," he said, standing from the table. "'Really want to see what they're going to do to keep A-Rod's bat quiet tonight." He looked over at Edward. Edward, you staying for the game?" His voice was almost hopeful and Bella turned away so Charlie wouldn't see the huge grin on her face.

"I would love to," Edward said. "But I really should get going. I still have some homework I need to get to."

"Okay, well, some other time, then," Charlie said, sticking his empty bowl in the sink. "Nice to meet you, Edward," he said.

"You, too, Chief Swan," Edward replied.

"Charlie," Charlie said, shaking Edward's hand firmly.

"Charlie," Edward repeated.

Charlie nodded. "Night," he said as he walked into the living room.

"Goodnight," Edward called back. He and Bella shared a smile as they cleared the remaining dishes from the table.

When they had finished, Bella walked Edward out. They stood on the front step, Bella shutting the door quietly behind her. Edward began to say something when a buzzing from his pocket cut him off. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. He glanced at the text message on his phone then smiled at Bella. "Alice is calling for a movie night tomorrow night," Edward said. "Do you want to come?"

Bella pretended to consider. "Well, that depends," she said. "What movie are we watching?"

"Well, that's up to Alice – it's her turn to pick," Edward told her. "However, if you need time to think about it…" He trailed off, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

Bella smiled. "I'd love to come and I don't care if we watch the weather channel for two hours," she told him honestly.

Edward pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Good answer."

"I can't come right after school, though," she told him regretfully. "Angela and I were planning to get together tomorrow at school to study for the English test on Thursday. We shouldn't be too late, though. Maybe 5:30 or 6:00."

"Well why don't I just pick you up when you're done and we'll go back to my house? We can order pizza and watch the movie."

"You don't mind?"

"I should probably study for that test, too." Edward and Angela did not have the same class period as Bella but all three shared the same teacher in the three separate English classes she taught during the day and all of her classes were going to be taking the same test that coming Thursday. "I just doubt I'd get much work done if I studied with you," Edward told her with a smile.

Bella blushed and Edward chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her again. This kiss was slow and sweet and Bella found herself wanting it to never end. Eventually, though, they parted and Edward rested his forehead against Bella's. "You should get back inside before I ruin any good impression I might have made on your father," he told her.

Bella made a face but reluctantly agreed. "See you tomorrow?"

Edward smiled, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "I'll be here," he promised. "Goodnight, love."

Bella smiled shyly. "Goodnight, Edward."

With a final squeeze of her hand, Edward departed. Bella stood on the front steps until he was out of sight then went back inside, locking the front door behind her. Okay, time to find out what Charlie thought of Edward.

Bella found Charlie deeply engrossed in the ball game when she returned to the living room and she sat on the couch for a few moments until the inning ended. She glanced over at Charlie, hoping he would say something about Edward, but his attention remained on the screen. She stood and stretched. "Well, dad, I'm gonna go upstairs and do some homework and go to bed."

"Okay. Night, Bells," Charlie said. "I'll see you in the morning."

Bella waited hopefully for a moment but Charlie didn't seem inclined to say anything else and she sighed, turning and leaving the room. She had just reached the doorway when Charlie's voice stopped her. "Bella?"

She turned around, her body tensing up suddenly. "Yeah?"

"He seems like a nice kid," Charlie said, looking over at her. "Not that I'd really expect anything different from one of Dr. Cullen's kids. But, yeah."

Bella smiled, nearly giddy with relief. "He is. Thanks, dad."

Charlie held up a cautioning hand. "He _is_ still a teenage boy, though, Bella. I was one of those once, so, um, just, uh, just be careful, okay?"

Bella could feel her cheeks burning and Charlie looked equally uncomfortable. "I will," she said. "Okay, homework. Night, dad. And thanks."

"Night," Charlie responded, returning his attention to the screen as the game came back from its commercial break.

Once upstairs, Bella rushed through her Trig homework, her mind only half on the task in front of her. When she had done as much as she knew she was going to get done that night, she closed up her books and got ready for bed. Climbing into bed and snuggling under her covers, Bella couldn't stop herself from grinning wildly as she thought about how well the night had gone. "Perfect," she sighed aloud to herself, drifting off into a peaceful slumber moments later.

* * *

The next morning, Bella was up before her alarm went off, practically racing through her morning routine before heading downstairs for breakfast. She so ahead of her own schedule that morning that Charlie was still finishing up his own breakfast when she joined him in the kitchen.

"Dad, I'm going to stay after school to study with Angela for an English test and then I was going to go over to Edward's to watch a movie with him and his family. I won't be late," she promised before Charlie could say anything.

He smiled knowingly at Bella's gleeful attitude but only asked her to please be home before 10 and wished her a good day at school as he left for work.

Bella finished her breakfast quickly then sat to wait impatiently for Edward to arrive.

Though it felt like a half an hour to Bella, it was really only a few minutes later that she heard Edward knocking on the door. She raced to the door, pausing a moment to compose herself before throwing it open, a large smile on her face.

"Morning," she said, practically bouncing into his open arms.

"Good morning," Edward chuckled, holding her close. "I take it this means Chief Swan didn't forbid you from ever seeing me again."

Bella locked up and followed Edward to the car. "Not even close," she said with a grin as he held the door for her. She waited until Edward had climbed into the car as well to continue. "He said you seemed like a 'nice kid.' Trust me, from Charlie, that's high praise," she said happily.

"So I guess this means we don't have to have any forbidden, clandestine romance then, huh?" Edward said. Bella just smiled. "Darn," Edward said, pretending to be disappointed. "That always sounds so cool in the books and movies."

Bella grinned and leaned toward him. "Guess you'll just have to deal with boring," she teased.

Edward slid a hand behind Bella's neck. "Somehow, I doubt very much that any time I spend with you could count as boring." He kissed her slowly, taking time to thoroughly explore her mouth with his tongue while Bella tangled her hands in his messy locks and pulled him closer.

Edward eventually pulled away, resting his forehead against Bella's. "We'd better get to school," he warned her. "Otherwise, this 'nice kid' may never let you leave this car."

Bella blushed, gulping slightly when she saw that Edward was only half joking. They each sat back in their own seats, adjusting hair and clothing before Edward finally turned the car back on and they made their way to school.

The days were beginning to settle into a comfortable rhythm for Bella and she found herself wondering what she had ever done without Edward before quickly banishing that thought from her mind. She and Edward were happy and everything was perfect at the moment. There was nothing to worry about and she vowed that she was not going to let anything or anyone ruin the joy she felt at being with Edward.

That promise to herself met its first challenge when Bella exited her English classroom looking for Edward. She glanced around a moment before finding him, her eyes narrowing at the scene before her.

Lauren had Edward pretty much cornered against the bank of lockers across from the English classroom. She was standing uncomfortably close to him and only the sense of politeness his parents had instilled in him and his siblings kept him from physically moving her away from him. His manners were severely taxed in the next moment, however, when Lauren laid her hand on his chest.

Edward was trying to come up with a polite way to tell Lauren to get the hell away from him when Bella appeared at his side. "Hi," she said with a bright smile. "Lauren, I'm sure you don't mind if I steal my _boyfriend_ for our lunch date." Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Edward's arm and quickly tugged him away from Lauren.

Lauren glared at Bella but then looked up at Edward with a sugary smile. "I'm glad we had a chance to talk, Edward," she cooed. "We'll talk more later."

"Um, yeah, sure," Edward stuttered uncomfortably. "Bye."

Then Edward was the one practically dragging Bella down the hall away from the blonde. "I think you're going to have to sit right at the door so you can be the first one out of that class. Either that, or I'm going to have to find somewhere out of Lauren's line of vision to wait for you," Edward said, the expression on his face telling Bella that he was only half kidding.

"I'll protect you," Bella said. "Unlike you, I have no problems telling that girl to piss off."

Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's shoulder. "Smart, beautiful, _and_ feisty," he said with a smile. "How did I get so lucky?"

Laughing, the two entered the cafeteria together, quickly making their way through the lunch line before joining the rest of Edward's siblings at their usual table in the corner. Angela had taken Bella up on her offer to join them for lunch and she and Alice were already deep in conversation by the time Bella and Edward sat down.

As had become routine, Emmett and Bella walked to and from Spanish class together, Bella's face lighting up at the sight of Edward waiting for her outside of their History classroom. When the bell rang signaling the end of the day, Edward walked Bella to her locker where she was meeting Angela for their study session.

"So, I'll meet you in the parking lot at 6:00?" Edward asked.

Bella smiled. "Sounds good to me."

Edward made a face. "Not me. Now I have to go home and pretend to concentrate for a few hours when I'd rather be spending the time with you."

Bella blushed, still smiling. "It's only a few hours," she reminded him. "Besides," she teased, "you don't want to lose your spot in the rankings, do you? Dartmouth might decide to revoke your acceptance and then I'd have to go to New Hampshire by myself."

"No fair using logic," Edward grumbled, but he was smiling as he pulled Bella close and kissed her. When they separated, he saw Angela standing nearby. "Hi, Angela," he said with a smile, releasing Bella.

"Hey, guys," she said, walking over to them. "I don't want to interrupt, but-"

"No worries," Edward said. "I was just leaving. Need to study for this test myself," he added, grinning at Bella. "I'll see you at 6:00?"

"Yep," Bella agreed.

"Okay." Edward kissed her quickly. "See you then. Bye, Angela."

"Bye, Edward," Angela responded.

When Edward was finally out of sight, Bella turned to Angela. "Okay, so do you just want to go study in the library? Edward's supposed to pick me up at 6:00, do you think that will give us enough time?"

Angela nodded. "Absolutely. We both know this stuff pretty well, it's just always good to be prepared for one of Sorenson's exams. With her, it's either ridiculously easy or something you would take in Grad School, so I always feel better after you and I review for these things together."

"Me, too," Bella agreed. She dumped her bag in her locker, pulling out the books and notes she and Angela would need for their study session, and the two girls made their way to the school library.

* * *

At around quarter to six, Bella and Angela decided that they had had enough studying and gathered up their books and papers before heading back to Bella's locker. "So," Angela said as they made their way down the deserted hallway where Bella's locker was located. "We haven't really had a chance to talk since this weekend. Am I ever going to get the whole story?" she teased as they stopped at Bella's locker.

Smiling, Bella explained how she and Edward had gotten locked in the closet on Friday afternoon. "And we spent the weekend together after that, and, well, it's kind of gone from there," she said, glossing over some of the more personal details for the moment.

"It sounds like it's going really well," Angela said. "Alice couldn't stop talking about how much their parents love you all during Bio yesterday."

"I can't _believe_ how well this is all going. I keep waiting to wake up, you know?" Bella smiled.

"I can't imagine what you mean, Bella," Angela teased. "Doesn't everyone find her soulmate when she's locked in a biology supply closet with him overnight?"

Bella giggled. "I'll never look at that closet the same way again," she admitted. "But, Ang, it's really just so amazing, _Edward_ is so amazing. Being with him is like nothing else. And even though Friday night was the first time for both of us, it was just, oh God, it was wonderful. I never thought it could be that good – I thought that was just for movies and romance novels. But Edward…" She trailed off, sighing, as Angela's eyes widened.

"So you two really had _sex_?" Angela practically squealed. "I mean, I had my suspicions given the state you two were in and the fact that Edward was shirtless. But, still, wow! How was it? Was it amazing?"

Bella smiled dreamily even as her cheeks flushed again. "Oh, Ang, I can't even begin to describe it," she told her friend. "It was incredible. I've never felt anything like it. And, well, this may sound silly, but it wasn't _just_ sex. It was so much more than that." She smiled shyly. "I thought I was the only one who felt that way, but Edward said the same thing to me the other night."

Angela smiled fondly at her friend. "Well, I'm happy for you, Bella," she said honestly. "You guys seem really happy together and anyone who looks at him can tell how much he cares for you."

Bella smiled again. "I love him, Ang," she confessed in a hushed tone. "I've never been in love before but I know that's exactly what this is." Her smile faltered. "I haven't told him yet, though."

"Why not?"

"Well what if it's just me? What if he doesn't feel the same way?" Bella's expression was anguished. "I mean, I think he does, but what if I'm just projecting how I feel about him? I don't think I could handle it if I told him and he didn't feel the same way."

Angela put a comforting hand on Bella's shoulder. "Bella, relax," she said softly. "You'll tell him when you're ready to tell him. And as far as him not feeling the same way, well, I really don't see that happening. Like I said, I've seen the way he looks at you, Bella, the way his eyes always seem to search you out first, even in a crowded cafeteria. You don't have anything to worry about. Edward Cullen is smitten with you."

Bella giggled. "Smitten?"

Angela smiled, glad she could pull Bella out of her musing. "Smitten," she confirmed. "Or to put it another way, the boy is totally head over heels in love with you. Don't worry so much. You two will tell each other when the time is right. Until then, just enjoy being with him as much as he obviously enjoys being with you."

Bella smiled. "Thanks, Ang," she said. She glanced down at her watch. "I'd better go. Edward's waiting outside." Angela agreed, and the two started to the parking lot where Edward had arranged to pick up Bella and where Angela's car was parked.

As the two girls walked down the hallway, they were completely oblivious to the fact that their conversation had not been entirely private.

A few minutes later, Lauren Mallory stepped out of the empty science classroom by Bella's locker. Her smile was vicious as her mind ran through the possibilities of what she could do with the information she had just overheard. There was one thought, however, that made itself heard clearly above all the rest. _This is going to be fun_.

****************


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Disclaimers: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

Notes: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. It really means so much and I'm sorry this update was a little long in coming. As always, a million thanks to goo82, my angst muse! Her help with this chapter was absolutely invaluable and I cannot thank her enough for it all!

This chapter contains lemons, language, and angst.

* * *

Chapter 7

Edward opened the front door to his house, motioning for Bella to precede him into the house. "We're back," he called to the house in general.

"Living room," Emmett called back.

Edward and Bella walked into the living room where the other four teenagers were already seated. "Hey," Bella said.

"Hey, Bella Marie," Emmett responded.

Bella turned to Edward, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He shrugged. "He asked what your middle name is," he answered quietly. "He likes to give nicknames to the people he cares about. I know it's not very original, but it's Emmett. I think his other choices probably rhymed."

Bella smiled and turned her attention back to Emmett. "We already ordered the pizzas," he continued. "Two pepperoni, one mushroom and green pepper, one Hawaiian, and three cheese."

"Seven pizzas?" Bella asked incredulously.

Emmett grinned. "I'm a growing boy," he responded.

Rose rolled her eyes. "We have to save some for Esme and Carlisle," she explained to Bella. "They both got stuck working late tonight, so we're trying to save them some for when they get home."

Bella nodded as Edward turned to Alice. "Did you decide on a movie, Alice?"

Alice held up a DVD case. "I thought we'd go with _Once_," she replied. "I know you and I have already seen it, but I don't think anyone else has. Bella?"

Bella shook her head. "I've never even heard of it," she admitted. "What's it about?"

"It's an Indie film from Ireland," Alice told her. "Sort of a drama with a bit of romance and a lot of music thrown in. It's excellent, though. I think everyone will like it."

"A musical? Awww, Alice," Emmett whined.

"There are musical _performances_," Alice stressed. "It isn't a musical."

"Not a fan of musicals, Emmett?" Bella asked.

Emmett made a face. "I don't mind the music, that part's usually cool. It's just all that everyone suddenly knowing what to sing and the synchronized dancing." He snorted. "It's totally unrealistic."

Edward couldn't resist taunting his older brother a bit. "Because zombies and vampires are the stuff of documentaries."

"And back to this movie, which involves neither coordinated dancing nor zombies," Jasper began in an effort to head off any bickering between the two brothers.

"Now, see, dancing zombies would be cool," Emmett interjected.

"Okay, but still not this movie," Jasper continued, unfazed. "So, what does everyone want to do? Should we start the movie now or wait for the pizza to get here?" he asked.

"Wait for the pizza," Edward answered immediately. "We're gonna go upstairs. Let us know when the pizza gets here." He grasped Bella's hand in his and they hurried from the room.

"Don't do anything Rose and I wouldn't do," Emmett called after them gleefully.

"Not exactly limiting, is it?" Bella heard Jasper say blandly.

"Sorry to rush you out of there," Edward said when they reached his bedroom, not looking sorry in the least. "But I just didn't feel like sharing you right now."

"It's all right, I forgive you," Bella teased.

Edward grinned crookedly. "Good. Because the whole time I was supposed to be studying Faulkner, I kept picturing you here in my room instead."

Bella smiled back. "Well that doesn't sound very conducive to studying."

Edward wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Not Faulkner, no. But it did give me a lot of time to think about what I'd like to do when you finally got here." He tilted Bella's chin up, meeting her lips with his own in a slow, searching kiss.

Bella responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around Edward's neck and gently running her fingers through his hair. Edward started guiding them toward his bed and Bella moved with him willingly. The back of her thighs hit the bed and she sat down slowly, their lips never breaking contact.

"Edward!" Emmett's booming voice easily carried up the two stories to Edward's room.

Edward dropped his hands from Bella's shoulders and stepped back with a growl of frustration. "Remind me to gag Emmett the next time I see him." Bella stared up at him, unable to form a coherent sentence, her eyes glazed and her breathing uneven. Edward groaned, reaching down to brush a finger over Bella's swollen lips. "I'll be right back," he promised.

Bella nodded, staring after Edward until he was out of sight. A few moments later, after gathering herself once more, she stood from the bed and started wandering around Edward's room. She went first to the set of shelves that housed his impressive collection of CDs. The discs were arranged in alphabetical order by artist and Bella slowly perused the shelves. Edward had an eclectic selection with numerous CDs by artists with whom she was familiar, everything from Damien Rice and Van Morrison to Glen Miller and Placebo. There was an even larger selection of artists, however, that she had never heard of with names like Cruiserweight, Bouncing Souls, and The Pigeon Detectives.

Shaking her head in awe at the sheer number of CDs, she turned her attention from the shelves to the rest of the room, stopping when something by Edward's bed caught her eye. There was a picture frame on Edward's bedside table that she was relatively certain had not been there the last time she had been in the room. She stepped closer and stopped, her cheeks coloring as she recognized herself. In the picture, her hair was flying wildly around her face and the expression on her face was one of unrestrained joy as she soared through the air on the swingset at Greenville Park. Her embarrassment was swiftly countered by an excited fluttering in her stomach at the realization that Edward actually had a picture of _her_ next to his bed.

"I love that picture." Edward's voice came over her shoulder.

"Where did it come from?" she asked, not turning to face him. She knew very well when Edward had taken the picture but her stunned brain couldn't think of anything else to say.

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "That day we were at the park. I downloaded it from my phone last night and printed it out."

"I didn't even know that you really took a picture," Bella admitted.

Edward pressed a kiss to her neck. "Mm-hmm," he murmured distractedly, his lips trailing up to her ear. Bella shivered, leaning back so that her body was pressed to Edward's. She reached a hand behind her to tangle in Edward's hair and was about to turn to face him when they heard someone calling their names.

"Edward! Bella!" Emmett called from the first floor. "Get your butts down here. Pizza's here and we wanna start the movie."

Edward groaned, dropping his head to Bella's shoulder and hugging her tightly to him for a moment. "Trust Emmett to interrupt," he mumbled. "Again." He kissed Bella's cheek gently and then released her. "Hungry?" he asked as she turned to face him.

Bella smiled and leaned toward him. "Starved," she practically purred, her lips brushing against his ear. She had to admit she felt a little silly saying it, but the expression on Edward's face made her minor embarrassment worth it. Edward groaned again and Bella couldn't help giggling at him. "Come on, we'd better go before Emmett comes looking for us," she said, taking his hand.

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Edward asked. Bella laughed again and Edward shook his head, kissing her forehead softly. "This isn't over," he promised her, leading her out of the room and down to his waiting siblings.

"You bellowed?" Edward said wryly as he and Bella entered the living room.

Emmett grinned. "Hey, I didn't think you'd want me coming up and interrupting. But if that's how you roll, I'll keep that in mind for next time."

"Bella, Edward, what kind do you want?" Alice asked loudly before Edward could respond in kind. She was seated on the floor surrounded by pizza boxes, plates, napkins, and cans of soda.

"Cheese for me," Bella responded. "Thanks, Alice." Alice handed her a plate with a slice of cheese, a Diet Pepsi, and a fork. She looked over at Edward, surprised at the inclusion of the fork, but he just smiled at her as he asked Alice for two slices of mushroom and green pepper. Edward and Bella settled themselves on the floor in front of one of the couches and Bella scraped the cheese off of her slice of pizza.

"You going to eat that?" Emmett asked, looking hungrily at the cheese. Her mouth full of pizza, Bella only shook her head, holding her plate out to Emmett. "Sweet," he said, taking the pile of cheese from her plate and dropping it on top of his own slice.

"Sorry, Al," Emmett said around a mouthful of pizza. "I think Bella just became my new favorite little sister."

Alice grinned and stuck her tongue out at Emmett as she threw her pizza crust at him from across the room. Emmett caught the crust and stuck it all into his mouth at once. "Hmm, getting back in the running there, Alice," he said as he chewed the crust.

Rose elbowed Emmett in the side. "If you could take a break from stuffing your face, could you start the movie?" she said, pointing to the remote next to Emmett.

"Anything for you, Rosie," Emmett said, his mouth still full of food.

"You're so gross," she told him, but no one missed the fond smile on her face as she said this.

When they had both finished eating, Edward moved up to the couch and held his arms out to Bella. She quickly joined him on the couch and happily snuggled against his side as Edward's arms wrapped around her. They watched the movie in contented silence for a few moments until the scene in the movie where the two main characters entered a music store and began to sing together for the first time. Edward felt Bella shift suddenly in his arms and he looked over at her. "This is the song we danced to in your room the other night," she said in a hushed voice.

Edward grinned. "Yep. That guy is the lead singer for The Frames."

"I _thought_ his voice sounded familiar."

"That's why you're number one in the class," Edward teased. Bella stuck her tongue out at Edward before resettling herself comfortably against him once more. Edward smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of Bella's head before turning his own attention back to the movie.

An hour and a half later, the credits were rolling and everyone began to stretch and rise from their seats. "Good choice, Alice," Emmett told her. "No zombies, but still good. Good music and not mushy at all."

"Glad you approve," Alice said wryly. "What did everyone else think?"

"I think it was an excellent choice," Jasper said, pressing a kiss to Alice's cheek. "But I also think it's time for me to go upstairs and get some homework done."

"Yeah, I should probably get home and get a little more studying in for that English test," Bella said reluctantly. "But I agree, great choice, Alice."

Alice bounced over to Bella and hugged her. "Thanks for coming, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Alice."

Jasper said goodbye as well and he and Alice headed upstairs, ostensibly to do their homework. Bella picked up a pizza box but Rose waved her away and took the box from her. "Don't worry, Bella," she told her. "Emmett and I will take care of clean up."

Emmett joined the girls, lifting Bella off her feet in a bear hug. "See you tomorrow, Bella Marie!" he said with a grin.

"Okay. Night, guys," Bella gasped, trying to catch her breath.

Edward took her hand and they walked to the front door, which opened as they reached it. "Hi, guys," Esme said as she entered.

"Hey, mom. I'm just taking Bella home," Edward said. "I'll be right back."

Esme nodded. "Okay. Sorry I missed movie night. I'll see you soon, though, right, Bella?"

Bella smiled. "I hope so. Goodnight, Esme."

"Night, sweetie," Esme said, giving Bella a quick hug.

Bella and Edward climbed into the Volvo and began the drive back to Bella's house. They drove in silence for a while, their joined hands resting on Edward's lap, before Bella spoke. "So are you ever going to tell me the real story about why Jasper and Rose practically live with you guys?" she asked curiously. "I know they're like your brother and sister but how did that happen?"

Edward hesitated a moment. "Okay," he said finally. "And I know it really goes without saying, but this is just between us, okay?"

Bella nodded. "Of course."

"Okay. Well, as far as Jasper goes, the truth of the matter is that his parents never should have had a child," Edward stated matter of factly. Bella gaped at him and he sighed. "I know that sounds awful, but it's something Jasper himself has been saying for years."

"Why shouldn't they have had kids?" Bella asked quietly. "Do they mistreat him?"

Edward grimaced. "For that, they'd have to take an interest in him and notice that he's actually alive." Bella just looked at him, waiting for him to continue, and Edward took a deep breath. "Jasper has been on his own for a long time. Well, technically, anyway. His parents are rich. Beyond rich, actually. Jasper's mom is the heiress to a major oil fortune and she and Jasper's dad don't really have to work. They have houses all over the world, including the one in Forks, but they're never at that house. They're barely ever even in the country for that matter.

"They split most of their time between their country estate in London and their home in Paris. They have houses in several other countries, too, and they don't have a whole lot of interest in their house in Forks, Washington. Or their son.

"When he was younger, they used to drag Jasper around with them, hire tutors and all that. But when he hit Junior High, they decided it was time to settle him somewhere so he could go to school. God alone knows why they picked Forks, but they did. Hired a housekeeper slash nanny to take care of him and then they were off again."

Edward grinned. "He's had the same housekeeper since he was 11, Annie, and she loves him like he was her own grandkid. But Jasper doesn't exactly need a nanny anymore. So when he was 14, he changed it so she only had to come in once a week to clean but still made sure that his parents paid her a full time rate."

"Does he ever see his parents?" Bella asked quietly.

Edward made a face. "I think the last time was about three years ago when Jasper's appendix burst. And even then, they were in town long enough to make sure he wasn't going to die and then they were gone again. They send him Christmas and birthday cards and make sure he has money, but that's about it. They don't ever call to check up on him and the last time they were here, they actually signed a bunch of legal documents giving my parents the right make any and all medical decisions Jasper needed."

"Wow," Bella said softly. "So I guess that explains why he pretty much lives at your house."

Edward smiled sadly. "My mom and dad love him like he was their own son and Jasper has a ready made family that loves him so it works out for everyone."

He pulled up in front of Bella's house and turned off the engine. "You might want to keep that to yourself, though. Jasper doesn't really like to talk about it, so we don't mention it unless he brings it up first."

Bella nodded. "Understandable. I won't say anything." She paused a moment before speaking again. "And what about Rose?"

Edward gave a much-beleaguered sigh. "We're finally alone with none of my family around and all you want to do is talk about them? I must really be losing my touch."

Bella grinned. "I don't _think_ so," she teased. "But maybe you should do something to distract me from my current line of questioning."

Edward grinned, leaning toward her. "Distract you, hmm?" he said, running his hand lightly down her cheek. "Something like this, you mean?" He slipped his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him, kissing her sweetly.

"Mmm," Bella murmured, kissing him back, her lips parting readily beneath his.

When they separated, Edward leaned back, bringing his hand back around to cup Bella's cheek. "I'd better let you go inside before Chief Swan gets wind of a suspicious looking vehicle in front of his house."

Bella smiled wistfully. "You're probably right," she said. "And it sounds like you could use a little time to brush up on your Faulkner before tomorrow," she added teasingly.

"I'm thinking Faulkner's going to be the last thing on my mind tonight," Edward said, smiling as Bella blushed. "Sweet dreams, love," he said softly, pressing a last soft kiss to her lips. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Edward," she said, squeezing his hand gently before exiting the car and walking up to her door. When she had the door open, she waved to him before closing the door, listening until she heard his car drive away.

"Bella?"

"Hi, dad," Bella said, walking into the living room.

"Hey, Bells," Charlie said, looking up from the early edition of Sports Center. "Have fun?"

Bella smiled. "Yeah. Angela and I got a lot of studying done and the movie I watched at Edward's was good. I think I'm going to go try to get some more studying in before bed, though."

"Okay, Bells. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night, Dad."

Bella spread out on her bed with her English notes, fully intending on running through them at least one more time before she went to sleep. However, more often than not, she found her thoughts drifting to Edward and the words on the page before her blurred into daydreams.

She smiled to herself as she thought about the evening she had just spent with Edward. A happy shiver ran through her as she thought of his parting words. "Love." He used that endearment quite frequently when speaking to her, she had noticed. Could it be possible that he felt the same way for her that she did for him? Could beautiful, perfect Edward Cullen actually _love_ her? No, that was impossible. Wasn't it?

Her mind began to run wild with fantasies of she and Edward declaring their love for each other and she sat back from her English notes, completely unable to focus on any of the pages in front of her. She leaned her head back on her pillow, telling herself she would give herself five minutes to think about Edward and then she would return to her studying. Five minutes quickly grew into ten and then fifteen and before Bella knew it, she was sound asleep.

* * *

As Edward drove to Bella's the following morning, he found he was nearly as giddy and excited as Alice had been when she had first learned of Bella and Edward's budding relationship. As predicted, he had not gotten any studying done when he had returned from dropping Bella off the night before. However, he had come up with what he thought was the perfect plan for finally telling Bella that he loved her.

He was planning on taking Bella out on their first official date and he had spent a greater part of the night planning it down to the last detail. Tomorrow night he was going to take her to La Tasca, an Italian restaurant in Port Angeles that his family had been going to since before he and his brothers and sisters were born, and everything was going to be perfect. He had it all planned out – a romantic meal by candlelight in one of the restaurant's private rooms and then a walk in the neighboring public gardens. They had only been together a week, but Edward wanted Bella to know how much he cared for her and this would be the perfect backdrop for declaring his love for her.

Edward pulled into Bella's driveway and hurried up to her front door. He rang the bell and waited a few moments. He was just about to ring the bell again when the door was flung open. "Bella?"

Bella was barefoot, dressed only in a skirt and long sleeved shirt, her hair still rumpled from sleep. "I know!" she wailed. "I am running so late. I overslept and Charlie didn't think to wake me up until right before he left. I'm so sorry!"

Edward stepped into the house and pulled Bella into his arms. "Don't worry," he said soothingly. "Take your time, I'm a bit early anyway. I just couldn't wait to see you again."

Bella smiled up at him, his very presence immediately calming her. "Thanks," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I really won't be much longer – I just need to get some shoes on and drag a brush through my hair."

"I'm rather a fan of the haystack look myself," Edward teased, running a hand through her messy locks.

Bella stuck her tongue out at Edward, pulling out of his arms. "Be right back," she said, moving to the stairs. "I just need to get my shoes."

She raced up the stairs, Edward following after her at a much slower pace. When he reached the door to Bella's room, she was seated on the bed, picking up a pair of ballet flats from the floor. Edward couldn't help staring as Bella crossed one long, creamy leg over the other to pull on her shoe and he felt his jeans tighten almost painfully.

Bella looked up to see Edward standing in her doorway, freezing with her shoes in hand at the expression on his face. "Edward? What's wrong?"

Edward shook his head. "Absolutely nothing," he mumbled. He was in front of her in a second and gently took the shoes from her hand, tossing them to the floor, before lifting her to her feet. He stared at her a moment and Bella shivered at the intensity of the expression in his eyes. Then he was kissing her hungrily and she forgot everything else as she kissed him back with equal passion, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Edward's arms wrapped around Bella's waist, his hands trailing up beneath her shirt. Bella shivered at the feel of his long fingers running across her bare skin and she threaded her fingers through his hair. She never wanted Edward to stop kissing her, to stop touching her, but the logical part of her brain started screaming something about school and tests and she sighed. Edward's lips trailed lightly down her neck and across her collarbone and she forced herself to focus. "Edward," she murmured breathlessly. "We're going to be late for class."

Edward groaned, dropping his arms to his sides and stepping back from Bella. "I know," he muttered.

Bella instantly missed the feeling of Edward's arms around her and his lips on hers. "Oh, screw it," she mumbled, pulling him into a heated kiss.

Edward growled low in his throat and pulled Bella flush against his body. Holding her tightly against his body, he eased them both backward onto her bed, laying Bella flat on her back as he hovered over her.

"Bella," Edward murmured, brushing kisses across her collarbone. "Beautiful Bella." He began to trail kisses up her throat, stopping at her chin. "_My_ Bella," he murmured, his lust filled gaze meeting her own.

Bella stared back at him, her own eyes nearly black with passion. "Yes," she gasped.

Edward growled again, crushing his lips to Bella's. His hands slid down to the edge of her shirt and he quickly pulled it up and over her head. Bella immediately returned the favor, rising to her knees and tugging Edward's black t-shirt up over his head and tossing it off the bed.

Edward pulled her against him once more and Bella moaned at the feeling of their bare skin pressed together. Her hand slid down between them and she unfastened the button on his jeans, gently dragging down the zipper before beginning to slide his pants down his hips. Edward groaned as Bella's hands skimmed along his thighs and he stood for a moment, yanking his jeans the rest of the way down his legs and dropping them to the ground.

He was back on the bed in seconds and Bella placed her hands on his chest, gently pushing him back until he was lying flat on the bed. She straddled his hips and began trailing gentle kisses down his bare chest. Edward made a sound low in his throat as Bella's lips reached the top of his boxers. Before he knew quite what was happening, Bella had hooked her fingers in the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down and off his legs entirely.

Bella stared down at Edward's erection a moment before dipping her head down and taking him entirely in her mouth.

Edward cried out, his hips jerking forward. "Bella," he gasped. He tugged gently on her hair and Bella reluctantly released him and raised her head to meet his gaze. "Bella, you don't have to."

"You don't want me to?" Her tone was hurt and Edward hurried to reassure her.

Edward groaned. "Of course I do, but-"

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes," he said breathlessly.

Without another word, she took him in her mouth again. Edward groaned at the feeling of her warm mouth enveloping his cock and he reached his hands down to tangle in Bella's hair. Bella slid her mouth slowly down Edward's shaft, taking him entirely in her mouth before sliding back so that she held only the tip in her mouth. She repeated the motion several times, alternating between wrapping her tongue around him and humming lightly, delighting in the moans and animalistic groans coming from Edward.

She took him entirely in her mouth again and slid her tongue out, running it gently under his balls before humming again as she moved back toward his tip, her teeth gently scraping the underside of his penis. "Oh, God, Bella, I'm, I'm-" Edward groaned above her. She felt him tense for a moment before his hips jerked forward and he came in her mouth. She held him in her mouth, swallowing and running her tongue along his shaft once more before moving up to lay next to him.

Edward was panting, his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, and he opened his eyes when he felt Bella settle next to him. "Bella, oh my God. That was, you're amazing," he gasped, pulling her against him. "Thank you," he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.

Bella smiled, snuggling against his side. "You're very welcome," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the slick skin of his shoulder.

The couple lay there for a few moments until Edward's ragged breathing became more even. Without warning, Bella found herself flipped onto her back, Edward above her with his weight resting on his arms. He tilted his head down to kiss her lips before beginning to trail light kisses down her throat and to her chest. "Turnabout's fair play," he said, and Bella could feel him smile against her skin as he reached the top of her skirt.

He unfastened the clasp on the side of her skirt and slid it down her hips, his lips following the path of the skirt as he pulled it down her legs before tossing it to the floor. His lips began moving up the inside of her right leg, not stopping until he reached the barrier of her now soaked underwear.

"God, Bella," Edward groaned, "you're so wet." He ran his nose gently across her panties. "And you smell so good," he mumbled. He pulled the fabric down slowly, dropping it to the floor as well once it cleared her legs. Bella was propped up on her forearms, her eyes locked on Edward and his motions. Edward looked up and grinned wickedly at Bella before he slowly slid a finger inside of her. She gasped, throwing her head back against the pillow as he began to stroke her.

He added another finger, reveling in the mewling gasp that tore from Bella's throat as he curled his two fingers and began stroking her even harder. "Edward, please," she gasped, her hips bucking against his fingers. She reached down and grabbed his hand, stilling his movements. "Edward, please," she repeated. "Inside me."

Edward's cock throbbed painfully as he removed his fingers from Bella and crawled up her body. He pressed a kiss between her breasts before sliding a hand under her and unclasping her bra. He took the material in his hands and dropped it to the floor with the rest of their clothing before turning his attention fully to her bare breasts.

Bella suddenly felt self conscious with the way Edward was silently staring at her and she moved her hands to cover herself. Edward gently caught her hands in his. "Bella, please don't ever cover yourself in front of me," he said. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life." He leaned down and pressed gentle kisses to both breasts before moving up to capture her lips with his own. "Ready, love?" he asked.

Bella nodded and Edward slowly slid himself into her, both moaning at the feeling of absolute completeness that encompassed them at the action. Staring directly into Bella's eyes, Edward began moving slowly, thrusting into her with deep, languid thrusts.

After a few thrusts, he lifted her right leg and hooked it over his shoulder. Bella moaned softly as the new position caused Edward to hit a particularly sensitive spot and she draped her other leg over his shoulder, locking her ankles below his neck. Due to Edward's earlier ministrations, Bella was already highly aroused and felt the bundle of nerves in her core begin to throb as Edward thrust into her. "Please, Edward," she murmured. "I'm so close."

Edward groaned. The sight of Bella beneath him, her eyes dark with lust and her hair fanning around her face as she begged him, was about to push him over the edge. He sped up his thrusts, dipping his head down and capturing Bella's right breast in his mouth as he attempted to cause her to reach her orgasm before his.

Bella felt her stomach tighten and she moaned Edward's name, her walls clenching tightly around him as she came. Seconds later she felt Edward freeze above her before he came, his body trembling with the force of his orgasm, moaning her name as he spilled himself inside of her.

Edward rolled to the side, disconnecting himself from Bella before pulling her into his arms and holding her close. "Now this is a before school routine I could definitely get used to," Edward said breathlessly.

"A new monthly tradition?" Bella smiled, her own breathing still ragged.

Edward pulled back a moment to look directly at her. "I was thinking more along the lines of daily, actually," he clarified with a wicked grin.

Bella couldn't help giggling, burying her flushed face against his side. Edward smiled, running his hands gently through Bella's hair. "Bella?" he said after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"Can I take you out?"

"Out?"

"Yeah, you know, out. Like a date."

Bella shifted so that her head was resting on Edward's bare chest. "What did you have in mind?"

Edward smiled. "Is that a yes?

"Maybe," she said teasingly.

Edward pulled her more tightly against his side briefly. "There's a restaurant in Port Angeles called La Tasca. It's an Italian restaurant that my family likes to go to sometimes."

"Sounds good to me," Bella murmured, snuggling against Edward's side.

The couple lay there in silence for awhile, just enjoying being in each other's arms. Eventually, Edward forced himself to look at Bella's bedside clock. His groan pulled Bella from her pleasant daydreams. "What's wrong?"

"The time," he grumbled. "As much as I'd prefer just staying here with you all day, I think we'd have a difficult time explaining why we both missed taking Sorenson's test." His eyes narrowed. "And if I don't get you to Biology, Alice will make the Spanish Inquisition look like a picnic."

Bella giggled. "I think I'm a little more afraid of Alice than Ms. Sorenson," she admitted.

"Me, too," Edward said, pulling her tightly against his side and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm going to go get dressed in the bathroom," he said, sitting up. "I don't know that I'd be able to control myself enough to keep round two from happening if I don't."

Bella blushed a deep crimson but couldn't help smiling up at Edward. "Okay. Give me five minutes and I'll meet you downstairs," she promised.

Edward nodded, leaning forward to kiss her once more then leaning down to grab his clothes from the floor before rising from the bed and making his way down the hall to the bathroom.

As promised, Bella met Edward in the living room five minutes later, her hair brushed and her clothing impeccable. "Ready?" Edward asked, offering Bella his arm.

She smiled, linking her arm through his. "Lead the way," she told him.

When the pair reached the school, they had to hurry inside in order to make the bell for their third period class. "I'll see you after class," Edward promised, pressing a kiss to Bella's lips before hurrying off to his class.

Bella paused and took a deep breath, trying to fight down the giddy smile that she could feel pulling at the edge of her lips. When she felt sufficiently composed (or as composed as she was going to get at the moment, she admitted to herself), she entered the classroom.

Fortunately for Bella, Doc Marin was running late that day and she made her way to her table with a sigh of relief.

Alice and Jasper were talking to Angela and Bella greeted them as she slid into her seat. Alice appraised Bella openly for a moment and then her eyes narrowed. "You look way too put together to have just come from gym," she decided. "You just got here, didn't you?"

"What?" Bella said innocently. She tried to play dumb but Alice wasn't buying it.

"Spend a little quality time with Edward this morning?" Alice said with a wicked grin.

Bella blushed deep red and Angela quickly jumped in. "Do you guys want to do something this weekend? Maybe go to a movie tomorrow night or something?"

"I can't do anything tomorrow night," Bella responded, her face still bright red. "Edward and I are going out to dinner."

"Where are you going?" Angela asked.

"An Italian restaurant in Port Angeles. He said your family goes there all the time," she added, looking at Alice and Jasper.

"He's taking you to La Tasca?" Alice squealed excitedly.

Bella nodded. "I guess you guys really do go there a lot," she joked.

Alice grinned widely. "You have no idea!" La Tasca was where her father had proposed to her mother 20 years earlier and she was bursting to tell Bella this. As if he could read her thoughts, however, Jasper placed a cautioning hand on her arm, shaking his head slightly. Alice deflated slightly for a second but knew he was probably right – no sense in freaking Bella out with knowledge of just how important the restaurant really was. "You're going to love it," was all she said instead.

Doc entered the room then and Jasper and Alice crossed the room to sit at their own table. Bella could feel Angela's curious stare and she turned to her friend.

"Was Alice right?" Angela asked. "Did you just get here?"

Bella blushed. "Maybe."

Angela smiled but let the subject drop. "Ready for the test?"

"I hope so. I fell asleep trying to get in some last minute studying," Bella admitted.

"Don't worry. I had it last period, you're going to be fine," Angela assured her as Doc began class and the girls turned their attention to the front of the room.

When class was over, Bella and Angela walked out of the classroom with Alice and Jasper. As usual, Edward was waiting in the hallway and he fairly beamed when he caught sight of Bella. "Hey," he said, pulling her into his arms.

"Hey," she replied softly, pressing a quick peck to his lips.

"Ahem." They turned to find Alice standing behind them, her arms crossed in front of her. "A little late this morning were we, dear brother?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Both Bella and Edward flushed as Jasper took Alice by the arm. "Come on, darlin'," he drawled. "Leave the two lovebirds in peace. We need to get to class." The couple began walking down the hall, both Edward and Bella silently thanking Jasper as they walked away.

"This isn't over," Alice promised, looking back over her shoulder. "I expect the whole story at lunch."

"You were saying about the Spanish Inquisition?" Bella asked, her face still pink.

"Right, um, I'll see you guys later," Angela said.

Edward smiled at the girl. "See you at lunch, Angela," he said as he and Bella began to walk to Bella's English class.

When they had reached Bella's classroom, Edward stopped, turning to Bella. "I have a football meeting at lunch," he said, regret clear on his face. "I just found out last class. It should only take a few minutes but it means I won't be able to meet you after class to walk to lunch."

Bella squeezed his hand gently. "It's okay. I'll probably be slightly brain dead after this test anyway. Hopefully, I'll be back to a normal human being by the time you get to lunch."

Edward smiled, pulling Bella close. "Not like I'll be paying any attention anyway," he murmured, pressing a kiss against her throat.

Bella sighed, her eyes fluttering closed. "You're going to make me fail my test if you don't stop that," she warned him.

"Darn, my nefarious plan has been discovered," Edward teased, trailing kisses up her jawline. "I'm just trying to get you to fail the test so I can take the number one spot in class rankings."

Bella smiled, her eyes still closed. "Funny."

Edward pulled her to him, kissing her full on the lips for a moment before releasing her. "All right, love," he said. "Go kick some Faulkner ass."

Bella smiled. "I'll try. See you at lunch."

Edward squeezed her hand before stepping back. "See you at lunch," he promised before turning and heading to his fourth period class. Bella watched until he turned a corner and then walked into the classroom. She settled herself at her desk, pulling out a pen before stowing the rest of her books beneath her desk in preparation for the exam.

An hour later, the bell rang to signal the end of class and Ms. Sorenson collected the tests. Bella took her time gathering her books while her classmates began discussing the tests as they collected their own books. With Edward in a meeting, there was no real rush to get to the cafeteria and she sat at her desk while the rest of the students exited the classroom. The test had been a little more involved than she had expected and while she was fairly certain she had done well, she still took the opportunity to close her eyes and just decompress for a moment.

"Bella, I never would have thought you had it in you. I have to admit, I'm quite impressed." Lauren's voice came from behind Bella, shattering her sense of tranquility, and she opened her eyes and turned around.

"What are you talking about, Lauren?" she asked, standing and shoving her books in her bag, now in a hurry to get out of the classroom. She was barely paying attention to the blonde girl as her mind focused on the fact that she would be with Edward again in just a few minutes.

"Why, I'm talking about you and Edward, of course."

Bella barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I know," she told her. "But everyone knew about that on Monday. Try to keep up, Lauren."

"Yes, everyone knew about that by Monday," Lauren responded. "But they didn't all know about what you and Edward did in the Biology closet, did they?"

Bella froze and looked at Lauren. "What are you talking about, Lauren?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly despite her best efforts.

Lauren glanced around the empty classroom and then leaned in a little closer to Bella. "I'm talking about you letting Edward fuck you in the closet last week."

Bella's blood ran cold and she was unable to keep a soft gasp from escaping her lips. "What, what are you, how…?" Bella trailed off, unable to form a coherent sentence.

Lauren smiled triumphantly. "Oh, yes, Bella, I know all about that," she told her. "We're not sure if you locked the two of you in there on purpose or not, of course, but it doesn't matter now, does it? Virgins are worth serious points so Edward's not going to make a fuss."

"Points?" Bella echoed weakly, putting a hand on the desk next to her for support. This could not be happening. This was all some kind of awful nightmare, it had to be.

"Oh, yes. It's all sport," Lauren told her. "A couple of us like to keep track, compare notes, see who's ahead and all that. Edward's way ahead now thanks to your little closet adventure."

Bella took a deep breath, trying to calm her wildly pounding heart. This couldn't be true. Lauren had to be lying. She could _not_ be talking about the Edward that Bella loved. "I don't believe you," Bella told Lauren, trying to keep her voice steady. "Edward would never do that."

Lauren looked at Bella pityingly. "I'm sorry, did you really think this was all for real, that he really cared about you? I mean, you were important, of course, mostly because you put Edward so far ahead. And even better, you ended up serving another purpose for him. His parents were getting a little nosy about him not dating so a decoy was needed. Enter you. The smart, studious, completely innocent and safe daughter of the police chief. And his parents just _loved_ you, of course. Now, Edward can continue to have his fun, collect his points, and his parents will get off his back."

Bella thought she was going to throw up. This couldn't be true. It was worse than all of her fears about the relationship combined. Had Edward really used her so callously?

Lauren looked at Bella and shook her head. "I mean, really, Bella. You're the kind of girl a parent wants for their son, not the kind of girl a guy like Edward wants for himself." She gave Bella a sympathetic smile. "I thought you knew."

Bella stared back at Lauren, willing herself not to break down in front of the girl. No, Edward would never do something like that, she didn't believe it. _If he didn't tell her, then how did Lauren know all of that?_ a nagging voice in her head asked. _Only you, Edward, and five other people know those details. And you know Angela would never tell_.

"Let me guess," Lauren said. "He told you he'd never had sex before, right? And that it was more than just sex between you two?" At Bella's stricken expression she smirked, shaking her head. "He's been using that line for_ever_," she mused, "and the girls still fall for it every single time."

Lauren noticed that Bella was swaying slightly on her feet and the blonde grinned, preparing to deal the final blow. "I guess I'm a little jealous," she continued, thoroughly enjoying the distraught expression on Bella's face as she twisted the knife even deeper. "I used to be worth the most points on Edward's list. But that whole virgin thing of yours dropped me down to number two."

Bella visibly cringed as the impact of Lauren's words hit her full force. Number two. Then that meant that Lauren and Edward had… Oh God. She had to get out of there. Her vision hazy, Bella pushed past Lauren and stumbled out of the room. She didn't know where she was going as she blindly fled the room, only that she had to get away from Lauren and her poisonous words. One thought echoed through her mind over and over. _Edward wouldn't do that. Would he?_

Lauren watched her go, a cruel smile on her lips. Bella had put up a good front, but Lauren had seen the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. Now it was time to sit back and watch the fireworks.

* * *

The first person Bella bumped into – literally – was Emmett whose locker was right outside her English classroom. "Hey, Bella Marie," Emmett said with a big grin. "Most important class of the day – lunch! You coming?"

Bella looked up at him, dazed, and Emmett frowned at the sickly pallor of her skin. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked her. "You don't look so good. Do you need me to take you to the nurse's office?

Bella shook her head. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something, Emmett."

"Shoot."

Bella took a deep breath. "Emmett, did you by any chance tell anyone else outside of the five of you about what happened between me and Edward that first night we were together?"

"What are you talking about, Bella?" Emmett asked innocently.

Bella sighed. "Emmett, I know Edward told the four of you what happened between us when we were trapped in the biology closet overnight. I just need to know, please, did you tell anyone what Edward told you?"

Emmett stared back at her, slightly confused. He would have thought that a girl in Bella's position would be furious with someone if she thought that person had been spreading stories about her sex life. But Bella looked almost…hopeful. "No, Bella," he told her. "I didn't tell anyone. Neither did Jasper or Rose. Edward would kill us." He grinned slightly. "Alice probably would, too. Why?"

Bella took in his slightly puzzled expression and earnest tone and knew he was telling her the truth. Emmett had not told anyone. And she believed him about the others, too. That only left two people and she felt a stab of pain in her gut at the thought of either of those people betraying her like this.

"Thanks, Emmett," she said quietly. "I'll see you later."

Emmett still looked a bit confused but he smiled back at her. "Later, Bella."

Moments later, Bella found Alice just shutting the door to her own locker.

"Hey, Alice."

Alice turned around, smiling at her friend. "Hi, Bella," she said brightly. "What's up? Ready for lunch?"

Bella shook her head. "Alice, I have to ask you something. And as a friend, I need you to swear you will be honest with me."

"This sounds serious," Alice said, the smile leaving her face. "What's up?"

"Alice, you didn't tell anyone about Edward and me in the biology closet and what happened between us, did you?"

Alice tilted her head and looked at Bella questioningly. "Of course not. Why?"

Bella tried to force a smile and failed. "Yeah, I was kind of afraid you were going to say that," she whispered tearfully.

"Wait, did someone-?" Alice stopped, a look of understanding crossing her face. "Oh, sweetie, no! You know Edward would never-"

Bella cut her off, shaking her head. "Who else?" she said, her voice dangerously close to breaking. "I have to go, Alice," she said sadly.

"Bella," Alice called as her friend began to walk away. But Bella did not stop and she did not respond, walking quickly until she was out of Alice's sight.

* * *

Bella shoved the door to the girls' bathroom open and raced for a stall, paying no attention to the girl standing at one of the sinks. She dropped to her knees and retched violently into the toilet, not bothering to close the stall door behind her.

"Bella?"

Bella didn't even register the other person's presence until she felt a hand on her back. "Bella? What's wrong? Are you all right?"

Bella sat back from the toilet, wiping her hand across her mouth as she looked up into Angela's worried face.

Angela nearly gasped as she took in Bella's paler than normal complexion and unfocused eyes. "Bella, are you all right? Do you want me to get Edward?"

Bella's eyes widened. "No! No Edward!" she gasped before turning and heaving into the toilet once more.

Angela held Bella's hair back, gently rubbing her back until Bella sat back from the toilet once more. "Bella?"

"He lied, Ang! Everything was a lie! He used me. Oh, God," she gasped disjointedly.

She began trembling violently and Angela stood, pulling Bella to her feet with her. "Come on, I'm taking you to the nurse." Bella leaned heavily on the taller girl's shoulder as they left the bathroom and headed to the nurse's office.

Angela looked at her friend worriedly as she half dragged her to the nurse's office. Something was seriously wrong, that much was clear. And it obviously went beyond some stomach bug. All she knew was that Bella needed her right now and she was going to do whatever she could to help.

* * *

Edward had to restrain himself from running into the lunchroom. The fifteen-minute meeting had seemed absolutely interminable and he couldn't wait to see Bella. He entered the room and his gaze immediately went to his customary lunch table. He frowned when he saw that only his siblings sat at the table and Bella was nowhere to be seen. Bypassing the lunch line for the moment, he hurried over to the table.

As he slid into a seat at the table, Alice looked up and Edward felt himself tense at the expression on her face. "Alice?"

"Something's wrong, Edward," she said without preamble.

"Yeah, you're not kidding," Emmett chimed in. "Dude, what's up with Bella?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just saw her after class and she looked kind of sick. She asked me if I had told anyone about you two in the closet."

"What?"

Emmett shrugged. "Yeah, I thought it was weird. Even weirder, she was kind of looking at me like she was hoping I'd say yes."

Alice took in a sharp breath and Edward turned to his sister quickly. "What's going on, Alice?"

"I'm not entirely sure," she admitted. "But I just saw Bella and she asked _me_ if _I_ had told anyone about you two in the closet. She was really upset. I think she might think _you_ said something."

Edward's face went dead white. "What?" he managed to croak.

"Edward, someone must have said something to her," Alice said quietly.

"But who would tell her?" he asked. "I mean, outside of Angela, only you guys know." His eyes swept the table as he said this and he couldn't help pausing momentarily on Rose. "But none of you would say anything." He hesitated, his eyes still on Rose. "Right?"

Rose's eyes darkened. "You think _I_ told someone what happened between you two?" she asked incredulously.

Edward was instantly ashamed of himself when he saw the hurt in Rose's eyes. "No, I'm sorry, Rose," he said. "I know none of you would never. I just don't know what Bella's talking about. What could have happened?"

"Don't you think maybe the best thing would be for you to go find her?" Jasper suggested. "That's usually the only way to get the whole story."

Edward nodded. "You're right. I'll see you guys later. I have to go find out what's going on and make sure Bella is all right."

He stood from the table and quickly left the cafeteria, the others looking after him. "How could he think I would say something?" Rose grumbled. "Just because I didn't fall all over their relationship doesn't mean I wasn't happy for them or anything."

Alice patted her shoulder soothingly. "I know, Rose. We all know that, Edward included. He's just a little freaked out right now, he doesn't know quite what he's saying." She knew it had been hard for Rose to accept a new person into their close knit group, but she had been adjusting well. It had been tough for Rose seeing how quickly the other four had accepted Bella, but Alice knew that Rose would never do anything to sabotage Edward's happiness with Bella.

"Well I hope he gets this figured out fast," Emmett said. "I really don't want Edward going back to being all emo without Bella."

"Nice, Emmett," Alice said, smacking her big brother in the shoulder.

"What?" Emmett said. "I'm just saying he was happy with her. And I like her, she's a nice girl. Mom and Dad liked her, too," he added. He made a face. "I think Mom may be just as emo as Eddie if something goes wrong with Bella."

Alice rolled her eyes as Jasper slid his arm around her shoulder. She knew Emmett had a habit of trying to make every situation funny. It was how he coped with tough emotional situations and Alice was used to it after all these years. However, as the feeling of dread began to spread throughout her, she found she was not in the mood for her big brother's humor right now.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it's all just a miscommunication of some kind," Jasper said calmly. "They'll have this all straightened out and be insanely happy again by the end of the day."

"I hope you're right," Alice said, leaning back against Jasper's chest. Still, she could not shake the image of Bella's face and the sorrow on it when Alice had assured her she had not shared her secret. Alice sighed unhappily – she had a very bad feeling that this was going to be more than just some little lover's spat. Jasper rubbed her arm comfortingly and she smiled up at him but she still couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding hanging over her.

* * *

Angela had explained that Bella was not feeling well and that she was going to take her friend home. One look at Bella's pallid face had been enough for Ms. Cope and she had quickly written out a pass for Angela and Bella. "Feel better, sweetheart," she said kindly as Angela helped Bella out of the office.

"Bella, I'm going to take you home, okay?" Angela said as she guided Bella to the parking lot. Bella didn't respond and Angela tried again. "You don't have your truck here today, do you?" At this, Bella shook her head, and Angela sighed, relieved to get _some_ kind of response out of her friend.

Bella knew Angela was talking to her as they walked to the parking lot, but she couldn't focus on anything the other girl was saying. All she could think about was her encounter with Lauren. She didn't want to believe that Edward or any of the other Cullens could be capable of such cruel actions, but the very fact that Lauren had known what she did made it very hard to discount her story as lies.

She felt sick as she thought of Lauren's words about Edward. About how he had used her and then bragged about the points he had gained by having sex with her. He had lied to her and then paraded her around calling her his girlfriend as a joke. And she had let it all happen. She had thought that Edward cared about her; she had thought that Alice, Emmett, Jasper, and even Rose were her friends. She had thought that meeting his parents and their acceptance had actually _meant_ something.

She had been so stupid, she realized as she and Angela reached her friend's car. She had let herself believe it was real, had allowed herself to fall in _love_ with him when the entire time it had been nothing but a game to him.

Angela walked around to the driver's side to unlock the doors and Bella put her hand on the passenger side door of the car to steady herself. Her heart was pounding and she found she couldn't catch her breath. Her brain screamed at her to climb into the car but before she could move another step, her knees gave out and she sank down against the side of Angela's car.

Edward raced out to the parking lot, looking around frantically for Bella. He saw Angela first, standing by her car, and he felt his heart catch as his gaze zeroed in on Bella. She was crumpled up on the ground next to Angela's car sobbing her heart out.

"Bella!" His anguished cry didn't even pierce her consciousness.

Edward raced to her but Angela was there first. She opened the passenger side door and practically lifted Bella into the car. She buckled the seatbelt around Bella and then closed the door, turning to see Edward standing right behind her.

"Angela, what's going on?" he asked frantically. "Is Bella all right? Is she hurt?"

Angela's eyes narrowed. "Yes, and you can thank yourself for that, I'm sure," she told him.

Edward was confused. "What? Angela, what is going on? Something's wrong with Bella, I need to talk to her. I think someone's been lying to her."

Angela raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "You think?" she replied scathingly. "Look, just go away, Edward. She doesn't want to talk to you, and quite frankly, neither do I."

She walked past him and climbed into the driver's seat. Without even looking to see where Edward was standing, she started the car and backed up. Edward quickly jumped out of the way, his eyes never leaving Bella's face as she continued to weep.

* * *

By the time they had reached Bella's house, Bella was no longer crying. This was not reassuring to Angela, however, as Bella seemed to have gone slightly catatonic. She was not speaking and her eyes once more looked unfocused.

Angela silently led Bella into the house and took her up to her bedroom. "Why don't you get into some comfortable clothes, Bella?" she said gently. "And I'll go make us some tea." Bella nodded vaguely and Angela returned to the first floor. Chief Swan didn't have the calming chamomile or lavender tea she would have liked to make for Bella, and she hoped the warmth of plain old Lipton tea would be enough to help soothe Bella.

Angela was just throwing out the used tea bags when she heard a soft thump come from upstairs. It was quickly followed by another thump and she hurried up the stairs, the mug of tea in her hand. "Bella?" She reached the doorway to Bella's room and stopped. Bella was standing in the middle of her room yanking the pillowcase from the last of the pillows on her bed. When she had successfully pulled it off, she tossed the pillow across the room to join the other pillows from her bed which were also missing their pillowcases.

"Bella, what are you doing?"

"Him! It all smells like him!" Bella said, frantically pulling the top sheet from her bed and dropping it in the pile of sheets at her feet. She turned her attention to the fitted sheet still on the bed, pulling at it desperately. "It has to go. It smells like _him_!" she moaned, dropping the fitted sheet into the pile and sinking to her knees among the sheets as she began to sob.

"Oh, Bella." Angela set the mug of tea on the dresser and hurried to her friend's side. "Bella, it's all right. It's going to be okay," Angela soothed, dropping to her knees next to Bella and wrapping her arms around her.

Angela wasn't sure how long she held Bella, rocking her back and forth to comfort her, before her friend spoke again. "It never made any sense." Bella's voice was choked by her tears but Angela still understood the words.

"What never made any sense, Bella?" she asked gently.

"Edward caring about me, wanting to be with me. He's so gorgeous, so perfect. How did I ever fool myself into thinking he wanted to be with _me_? What the hell was I thinking – that I was good enough for someone like him? I'm so stupid."

"Bella, stop," Angela said, pulling back and lifting Bella's chin so her friend would have to look at her. "Don't say that, any of it. It's not true."

Bella shook her head. "It _is_ true," she sobbed. "I was so stupid! I thought he cared about me, I thought they were all my friends, but it was all just a game to them. They're probably laughing at me right now." At this, Bella's sobs increased to the point that she could no longer speak and Angela just held her, rubbing her back and whispering words of comfort.

When Bella had calmed down once more, Angela asked her where she kept her extra bedding. After remaking Bella's bed and settling Bella on it, she handed her friend the mug of now lukewarm tea before gathering up the discarded bedding and taking it down to the laundry room.

When she returned to Bella's room, she managed to get a few more words out of her friend. Nothing about what had just happened, unfortunately, but Angela learned that Charlie would be out late that night as it was another officer's birthday and they were all going out after work to celebrate.

Angela was attempting to decide on the best course of action to help her friend when she heard the doorbell ring. It rang two more times in quick succession, almost frantically, and Angela turned to Bella who was still seated on the bed. She didn't see a word but Angela saw how her body had tensed at the sound. "Don't worry, Bella," she said gently. "I'll take care of it."

Bella nodded and Angela made her way downstairs. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Edward Cullen standing on the front steps. She put on the security chain and cracked the door open. "What do you want, Edward?"

"Angela, please let me in," Edward pleaded. "I need to see Bella. Is she okay? Did something happen?" His face looked truly agonized and for a moment, Angela considered he might actually be worried about Bella. Then she remembered her sobbing friend upstairs and her resolve strengthened.

"Go away, Edward," Angela told him. "Bella doesn't want to talk to you."

"Angela, please," Edward said desperately. "What's going on? Is she hurt?"

Angela's eyes narrowed even further as she realized that she herself didn't exactly know what had happened. But she'd be damned if she was going to admit that to Edward. "Edward, if you don't get off the steps right now, I am going to have Chief Swan swear out a restraining order on you."

"But Angela-"

"You've done enough, Edward!" Angela snapped. "Get lost." And with that, she slammed the door, turning the locks on the door and dropping the security chain so that Charlie would be able to get in later.

She could see that Edward hadn't moved but she turned her back on him and walked into the kitchen. She made a quick call to her house, telling her mother that Bella needed her and she would be spending the night there. Mrs. Weber knew that her daughter must have a good reason for her actions and agreed to bring Angela a change of clothes so that she would not have to leave Bella alone for even a few moments.

The moment she hung up the phone, it began to ring and Angela picked it up. "Hello?"

"Angela, please let me speak to Bella," Edward begged.

Without a word, Angela hung up the phone. She held the disconnect button down a minute before picking it up. Upon hearing the dial tone, she propped the handset on the counter, deciding to leave the phone off the hook until Charlie came home. Then Edward would either chicken out when the chief answered the phone or would have to explain to him just what he had done to put his only daughter in such a state.

With that sorted, Angela turned her attention to coming up with a story to tell Charlie when he did return home. She settled on telling him that the two girls were working on a major project together that was due the next day. Satisfied, she made her way back to Bella's room, hoping there was something she could do to help her distressed friend.

* * *

The next morning, Angela and Bella drove to school together. "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Angela asked Bella for probably the fifth time that morning.

Bella sighed. "Ang, I appreciate everything you've done, but please stop asking me that. Just because Edward Cullen and the rest of his family turned out to be a bunch of lying jerks, does not mean I'm going to hide at home. I have just as much right to be here as they do and I refuse to let him dictate any more of my life than he already has."

"Okay," Angela said, slightly taken aback at Bella's atypical hostility.

Bella sighed again. "Ang, I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't be taking this out on you. You've been amazing and I'm really lucky to have a friend like you. I'm just a little tense. But I refuse to hide from this and I am done crying about it. I think being angry about it is the best chance I have of not breaking down every time I see him," she admitted quietly.

Angela reached over and squeezed Bella's hand as she pulled into a parking space. "You always have me, no matter what," she promised.

"Thanks, Ang," Bella said with a smile. She took a deep breath. "I can do this," she muttered, mostly to herself.

"Yes, you can," Angela reassured her. "Who needs Edward Cullen? You're Bella Swan, number one in the class, and you are amazing." Bella took another deep breath and the two exited the car, quickly making their way across the parking lot and into Building three where Bella's locker was located.

Bella had just finished gathering the books she would need for her morning class when she saw Angela tense beside her. "Incoming," Angela muttered under her breath.

Bella tensed as well before letting out a deep breath. "Bella?"

She turned slowly to face Edward, carefully keeping her face blank. She couldn't fully keep her eyes expressionless, however, and Edward felt something tug at his heart at the pain he saw in her big brown eyes.

"Bella, are you all right?" he asked quietly. "I've been so worried."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Did I mess up your little game?" Bella said bitterly.

Edward's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of Bella's words and her uncharacteristically harsh tone of voice. "Game? What are you talking about, Bella? Do you mean the football meeting yesterday? What does this have to do with that?"

Bella's eyes narrowed. "Football. Cute," she spat at him. "Was I not supposed to find out this soon? Was I not supposed to know that all of this was just some fucked up game to you? I'm so glad I could be your entertainment for a little while. Just love to think that I was able to stave off boredom for a bunch of rich brats who get a kick out of playing with people's lives. I'll bet you all got a good laugh out of it, too, huh? Telling them how you banged the geeky virgin on the floor of the biology closet." Bella grimaced. "I suppose yesterday morning was worth even more points to you, huh?"

Edward looked absolutely bewildered. "Bella-"

She continued as if he hadn't even spoken. "And to think I believed all of that crap you told me. The way you acted all sweet and understanding, pretending you weren't the arrogant slut I knew you were. I _trusted_ you. I l-" Bella cut herself off abruptly. "Well, I guess that just makes me an idiot for believing a single word you said."

"Bella, please. I don't know what's happened but you have to believe I would never-"

"No, you know what," Bella said, cutting him off sharply, "I _don't_ have to believe you. And I don't have to listen to whatever lies are about to come out of your mouth. I've already fallen for your bullshit once before, I'm not going to stand here and let that happen again." She glared at him and he felt his heart constrict as he saw the tears glistening in her eyes.

"Bella," he choked out.

"Just stay away from me," she hissed, turning on her heel and hurrying away.

Edward tried to follow Bella, but Angela moved in front of him, blocking his way. "You may think that just because you're some kind of football god and half this school wants to jump you, it's okay to do the things you do," she seethed, glaring at him. "But you're wrong. Nothing gives you an excuse to be such a poor excuse for a human being. She is worth a hundred of you so you just leave her alone." With a last glare, she followed after her friend.

Edward wasn't sure how long he stood there, frozen, staring in the direction Bella had gone. He was unaware of anything around him until a soft, familiar voice said, "Edward."

Edward turned around to see Alice standing there, a sympathetic look on her face. She blanched at the shell-shocked look in Edward's eyes, knowing she'd never seen her brother look so lost. "Edward, I'm so sorry," she said softly, reaching a hand out to touch his arm gently.

_I'm in hell. Either that, or this is one hell of a nightmare_, Edward thought to himself. Just yesterday, he had been making plans for telling Bella that he loved her, and now she was looking at him with such disdain in her eyes and speaking to him with hatred in her voice. "What the hell is happening, Alice?" he asked desperately. "Why does Bella hate me?" He looked absolutely crushed and Alice hurried to try to comfort him.

"She doesn't hate you, Edward," she reassured her brother. "But for some reason she seems to think you told someone about what happened between the two of you in the closet that night." Her brow furrowed and her expression became even more troubled. "And more than that, she seems to think we were all involved in some way."

"But Alice, I didn't tell anyone other than you four," Edward said. "And I would never do anything to hurt Bella."

"I know, Edward," Alice reassured him. "I told Bella you never would have done this. Not that she seems to believe a word I say, either." She sighed and then her eyes narrowed. "But someone _did_ do this. Someone knows and they told Bella. And the question now is who."

Edward sighed. "Does it even matter, Alice? You heard her, she doesn't want me anywhere near her." His voice broke. "What am I going to do, Alice? She's just." He paused, taking a shaky breath. "She's everything. I can't lose her like this."

Alice rubbed his arm soothingly. "We'll figure it out, Edward. I promise. We'll fix this. You are _not_ going to lose Bella."

Edward rubbed a hand roughly across his eyes. "I can't do this right now, Alice," he said quietly, forcing back the tears that threatened. Alice winced slightly at the despondent tone of his voice. "I gotta get to class. I'll see you later."

Alice watched her brother walk away, his slightly slumped shoulders only hinting at the devastation she knew he felt inside. Well, fine, if Edward wasn't going to help her fix this, then it was up to her. She had enjoyed spending time with Bella and she hated seeing how miserable they were apart. She knew they cared about each other deeply, possibly even more than they realized. They had been so blissfully happy in the short time they had been together and she was going to do everything in her power to bring them back to each other again. But first, she was going to need a little help.

* * *

By the time lunchtime rolled around, Alice was beginning to get extremely frustrated. During Biology, Angela had acted as a human shield for Bella, not allowing Alice a chance to even try to speak to Bella. Now it was lunchtime and Bella was sitting at her old table, surrounded by her friends, most of whom kept shooting nasty looks at the Cullens' lunch table.

Edward sat with his back to Bella's lunch table. He hadn't bothered getting anything for lunch and he wasn't speaking to any of his siblings. By now, Alice had filled the rest of them in on the confrontation between Bella and Edward that morning. They each tried to draw Edward into conversation or get him to eat something, but all to no avail. He sat stiff and silent, staring straight ahead.

About halfway through the period, Edward happened to glance at Emmett and saw his brother glaring at something over Edward's shoulder. When he noticed his younger brother looking, Emmett quickly settled his face into a neutral mask, turning his attention to Rosalie. Edward turned in his seat to see what had caught Emmett's attention, realizing immediately that his brother had been looking at Bella's lunch table.

His stomach clenched painfully as he saw Aaron Hurley sitting next to Bella. _Too close!_ His mind screamed, his eyes narrowing as he watched Aaron's arm brush against Bella's. Aaron said something and Edward's heart tore when he saw Bella smile for the first time since he had seen her smile over 24 hours earlier. That should be him sitting with Bella, making her smile and laugh while they sat together and talked and made plans for their upcoming break.

Emmett saw the agonized look on Edward's face and he nudged his younger brother's foot under the table. "Why don't you go talk to her?" Emmett asked.

Edward turned his attention back to his siblings, shaking his head. "I've tried. Yesterday and this morning. She doesn't want to talk to me," he said despondently. "Besides, with her friends there it could lead to a scene, and that's the last thing Bella would ever want."

"Edward, we'll-"

"Yeah, I know, Alice," Edward said, cutting her off. "We'll fix this, right?" With a sigh, he pushed his chair back from the table and stalked from the lunchroom. He knew that the majority of Bella's lunch table was glaring at him but he couldn't care less, his eyes focused solely on Bella as he walked out. She kept her head down, studiously ignoring him, not raising her head again until he had finally left the room.

When the lunch period ended, Mike and Eric volunteered to walk Bella to Spanish. She was too exhausted to protest and allowed them to take her to class, one on either side of her. The two boys stuck closely to her side, not backing down when Emmett glared at them, and only leaving Bella's side when Ms. Goff finally entered the classroom.

During class, Bella knew Emmett was trying to get her attention from across the room and she kept her kept her attention focused on Ms. Goff for the entire hour. When the bell rang to end fifth period, Bella was up from her seat and out of the classroom like a shot.

"Bella, wait!" She heard Emmett call out behind her.

Bella sped up, dodging other students as she made her way down the hallway.

She was not aware Emmett had sped up as well until she heard his voice right behind her. "Bella Marie, please," he said quietly.

Bella stopped, steeling herself before she turned to face Emmett. "What do you want, Emmett?"

"I want to know what's going on," Emmett said bluntly. "What the hell was that all about this morning? This isn't like you. Why are you doing this to Edward?"

Bella's jaw dropped. "Why am _I_ doing this to _him_?" she asked incredulously. "I'm not the one who was playing around with someone else's life and their emotions. _I'm_ not the one who pretended to care for someone while the whole time it was just game."

"Bella, what the hell are you talking about?" Emmett asked. "Edward wasn't pretending to care about you. He's totally wrecked by this whole thing."

Bella studied Emmett's face a moment. Maybe Emmett really didn't know what was going on, she thought. Not that she had been the best judge of character lately, but he seemed honestly confused about the entire situation. "Look, Emmett, maybe you really don't know what's going on. But I do and I'm done with it and with Edward. He's had his fun and gotten his points," Bella said wearily. "Now I just want to be left alone, all right?"

"But Bella-"

Bella ignored him, quickly walking away and into the girls' bathroom where Emmett could not follow. Keeping a careful eye on her watch, Bella waited until there was barely more than a minute left before last period started. Then she darted from the bathroom, keeping her head down and hurrying to her History classroom, walking in the door just as the bell rang to start class.

Holding in a relieved sigh, Bella sank into a desk in the very front corner of the room, noting with satisfaction that Edward was seated in the very back of the classroom on the opposite side of the room from where she was now seated. Bella could feel Edward's eyes on her during the class period and she kept her head down over her notebook, taking careful notes on absolutely everything the teacher said.

When the bell rang, Bella leapt from her seat, quickly approaching Mr. Schaffer at his desk. Edward seated himself in the desk closest to the door, waiting for Bella to finish her conversation with the teacher so that he could try to talk to her without an audience. However, by the time Bella and Mr. Schaffer had finished their discussion, Angela was waiting for Bella at the door to the classroom.

She met Bella as she walked across the room, positioning herself between Bella and Edward as they exited the classroom. The two girls made their way quickly to Angela's car, Edward following a safe distance behind. Angela glared at Edward as she opened the door to her car but he took no notice, staring forlornly at Bella as she climbed into the passenger side of Angela's car. He didn't know what had happened to turn things so bad so quickly, he didn't know why Bella suddenly hated him. All he knew was that every second he was away from her, a part of him, slowly but surely, was dying without her.

* * *

When they reached Bella's house, Bella convinced Angela that she needed some time to be alone and promised she would call if she needed anything. Angela didn't look entirely convinced, but she reluctantly agreed, telling Bella she would call her later.

When she was finally alone, Bella locked the door behind her and made her way up to her room where she flopped down on her bed. The anger that had sustained her throughout the school day had drained, leaving her feeling somewhat numb and completely out of sorts. Maybe some music would help her relax, she thought to herself. She reached her hand over to the small CD player next to her bed and flicked on the radio.

"_Everything's changing_

_So how am I to know_

_How I'm going to hold on to you_

_When I'm spinning out of control_

_You and I together_

_And only one of us in love_

_And everybody knows"_

Bella's hand flew to the small stereo, nearly knocking it to the floor in her hurry to turn it off. _Trust Ryan Adams to get right to the point_, she thought with a sardonic smile. _Only one of us in love indeed_. A sob rose in her throat and she dropped her head back onto her pillow, tears streaming down her face.

She had believed him, had trusted him and all of the sweet things he had said to her! How could she have thought any of it was real? Either he was that good of a liar, or she was just that pathetic. Somehow, neither explanation made her feel any better.

How could she have been so stupid? How could she have ever even thought that Edward Cullen could have cared about her? She was plain and boring, he was the gorgeous, popular captain of the football team. She really must have a screw loose to have even entertained the idea. Of course it had been nothing but a game to him. With these thoughts running through her mind, she curled up into a ball on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Angela had just returned from Bella's when she heard the phone ringing. Thinking it was probably her distraught friend, she dashed to the phone and snatched it up. "Hello?" she said breathlessly.

"Angela?" The voice was vaguely familiar but Angela couldn't immediately place it.

"Yes?"

"Angela, it's Alice Cullen." Alice got right to the point. "I need your help."

"With what, Alice?" Angela asked cautiously.

"With Bella and Edward, of course," Alice said impatiently. "Something weird is going on and-"

Angela cut her off. "I can't help you, Alice," she said firmly. "Bella doesn't want to talk to Edward. She doesn't seem to want anything to do with the rest of you, either, and that is her decision. She's my best friend and I will not go behind her back."

"But Angela, I only want to help," Alice began. "Edward is devastated. He would never do anything to hurt Bella."

"Look, Alice," Angela said. "Bella is not prone to melodrama, so if she says Edward did something horrible, then I am inclined to believe her. And all of you need to just leave her alone so she can heal." She paused for a breath then continued. "Goodbye, Alice. Please don't contact me again."

Alice stared at the disconnected phone in her hand in shock. "What happened?" Rose asked, taking in the pixie's flabbergasted expression.

"Angela Weber is a very good friend," Alice mused. "Unfortunately, that does not help us any right now." She looked up at Rose and sighed. "Looks like it's up to us to figure this one out on our own, Rosie."

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Wait for You

By: Liz

Rating: M

Chapter: 8

**Disclaimers**: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

**Notes:** A million and a half thanks to goo82 for being so awesome and always being there for me (especially when I got whiny!) and being the best sounding board and evil angst fairy ever! This would be impossible if not for her. Also a huge thank you to lakers0604 for being there and just being awesome. A very big thank you to all who have reviewed. You have all been so kind and it really means a lot. I'm so sorry it took me forever to update. January was a lot crazier than I was expecting.

**Special Note**: I know some people had issues with the last chapter and I apologize for that. A lot of this is based on my own experience from the first and only time I fell in love. The guy and I had only been together a short time when the guy's co-worker decided to tell me all sorts of lies about him, such as that he was sleeping with another co-worker. I knew I had strong feelings for him at that point, but I also realized there was so much about him I didn't know. My first reaction was tears and general freaking out and then I just shut down and refused to talk to him for a few days. So if Bella's reaction seems off, I'm sorry, I'm just going with what I have experienced here (don't know what that says about me, but it's what I know ;). Also, there were questions as to why Bella wouldn't just confront Edward. I'm going with book Bella here – in Twilight there is a line where she says she makes the Cowardly Lion look like the Terminator. So she's a bit non-confrontational. And why was she so ready to believe this bad stuff about Edward? Well, her self-confidence is not the best. Even in the books, it took her 'til the very end of the second book to actually admit and accept that Edward did love her even after he had told her, saved her life, etc.

A lot of you are going to be upset with me for this chapter, I imagine. I would just like you to all keep in mind that there is one chapter left after this one and I am a happily ever after girl at heart. Now, on with Chapter 8!

* * *

Chapter 8

Edward slid out of her, rolling onto his side and pulling Bella against him. "I love you, Bella," Edward said softly.

Bella smiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "I love you, too, Edward. So much."

Edward smiled back before turning away from her and sitting up. "You all heard her," he said loudly. "She said 'I love you.' I get a perfect 10 on this one!"

Bella gasped, sitting up and pulling the sheets up to cover herself as she saw Lauren Mallory approached the bed she and Edward were currently occupying.

"Wow, Edward," Lauren purred. "You've really outdone yourself this time." She smirked. "You always did like to be the best at everything."

"Edward, what?" Bella managed to choke out.

Lauren looked over at Bella. "Bella, really, do you still not get it?" she asked, shaking her head, a mock sympathetic look on her face. "He never really wanted you. It was all just a game." She spoke clearly, enunciating each word carefully as if she were speaking to a small child. "Really, it's just pathetic now. And you're only making an even bigger fool out of yourself this time," she told her, gesturing behind her.

Bella looked past Lauren, a strangled cry escaping her throat. She, Edward, and Lauren were in the center of the gymnasium and the bleachers were packed with what looked like the entire student body of Forks High School. Many students were whispering among themselves while others pointed at Bella and laughed. Still others only stared, shaking their heads at her foolishness, expressions of pity on their faces.

Lauren turned her attention back to Edward. "Shall we show Bella how it's really done?"

Edward rose from the bed, stark naked, and stood before Lauren. "I think that sounds like an excellent idea. She could stand a few pointers."

Lauren reached down between them and encircled Edward's erection with her hand. Bella felt bile rise in her throat as Edward dropped his head back and moaned, his eyes closing in ecstasy. "Watch closely, Bella," Lauren said, directing a nasty smile at Bella. "I'll show you how Edward really likes it."

"God, yeah, just like that, Lauren," Edward groaned. He opened his eyes and looked at Lauren again, lust shining in his eyes. "You may not have been worth the most points, but you were always the best I've ever had," Edward said. "And now that this is over." He gestured vaguely behind him at Bella. "I can stop pretending that I don't want you anymore."

Bella felt her stomach clench painfully and she glanced past Edward and Lauren to where other students sat, trying to find at least one supportive face. On the very bottom bleacher, Alice and Jasper sat watching, holding hands and wearing identical smiles on their faces. Next to Jasper, Rose was watching with a satisfied smirk. On her other side, Emmett sat tossing pieces of popcorn into the air and catching them in his mouth. Rose elbowed him in the ribs.

"Would you pay attention?" she hissed. "Edward's finally going to get back with a girl who is actually worthy of him." Emmett immediately stopped playing with his food and leaned forward with an expectant look on his face.

"You need to move, Bella," Edward said, his eyes never leaving Lauren as he began undressing her. "We're finished here and Lauren and I need the bed now."

Bella stared at Edward in horror, unable to move. "You heard him, Bella," Lauren said, smiling triumphantly at Bella. "You two are through. Get out of the way already."

Still without looking at her, Edward reached behind him and roughly shoved Bella from the bed. Bella closed her eyes, clutching the sheet around her as she waited to hit the hard linoleum of the gym floor.

With a gasp, Bella sat straight up in her bed. Her hands were clutching her bedsheets so tightly that her knuckles had turned white and her hair was stuck to her face with sweat. "Just a dream, it was just a dream," she chanted to herself as she tried to get her racing heart under control.

It had seemed so real, though. She had been blissfully happy for a moment, safely back in Edward's arms, until it had all come crashing down around her. And then Edward and Lauren. Oh God. She choked back a sob, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them as the tears began to fall. She closed her eyes tightly against the images of Edward and Lauren together, but the image danced behind her eyelids, seared into her brain. Her tears increased in intensity until she was sobbing quietly, trying to muffle the sound so as not to wake Charlie and make the situation even worse.

Bella lost track of time as she sobbed, letting out the anguish and anger she felt at Edward's betrayal, his manipulations. Why had he done this to her? What could she have possibly done to deserve being treated like that, to deserve having her heart ripped out and shredded before her eyes? There was anger at herself in these tears as well. Why had she been so ready to believe that the gorgeous quarterback had feelings for someone like her? She should have been more careful, she knew that now.

Eventually, the tears began to slow until only a few stray drops slipped down her face. She let out a ragged breath. It was bad enough that Edward occupied her every waking thought, did he have to invade her unconscious mind as well? After a few moments of taking deep breaths, Bella felt her heartbeat return to a normal rate and the tears stopped entirely. A quick glance down told her that she was still in her clothes from the day before and she sighed, looking over at her bedside clock. The dimly glowing numbers read 2:30 and Bella groaned to herself. Now what?

Sleep was out of the question: every time she closed her eyes, images from her nightmare played clearly in her mind making her fear returning to sleep and her dreams. She tried to distract herself with one of her many books, but that, too, turned out to be futile. Pride and Prejudice was the book she had fallen asleep reading while Edward was showering that first day at her house. When she picked up Wuthering Heights, she was reminded of an in-depth conversation she and Edward had had that day in the meadow about the main characters' lack of redeeming characteristics. She picked up To Kill a Mockingbird and had only read the first paragraph before her mind was filled with the image of Edward sitting on her bed reading this very copy of the book. With a frustrated groan, Bella tossed the book on top of her previous rejected readings and dropped her head back into her hands.

As a last resort, she dragged her book bag onto the bed and fished out her Trigonometry book. The problems would require all of her attention and maybe they would be boring enough to actually put her to sleep.

After spending fifteen minutes on the first problem and getting nowhere, however, Bella realized that this distraction was not going to do the trick, either. With a sigh, she shoved the Trig book back into her book bag and set it on the floor, dropping her head into her hands. It was only 3am, far too early to be up, and she struggled to think of something that would help her at least temporarily forget her nightmare and the events of the past few days.

Going downstairs to watch television ran the risk of waking Charlie and Bella really wasn't up to facing him just yet, not while the pain of Edward's deception was still so fresh. In the past, music had always helped her mood, but she hesitated as she leaned over to switch on her radio. Did she really want to risk hearing another song that would remind her of Edward? She shook her head, disgusted with herself. Was she really going to forego music just because Edward Cullen had broken her heart? There had to be music out there that reflected her current situation.

Rising from her bed, she turned on her computer, changing into her pajamas while she waited for it to boot up. When the system was finally up and running, Bella decided to do a search for songs to fit her mood. Interestingly enough, she found several different webpages with lists of so-called "breakup songs." One list was titled "Songs for the Dumped" and Bella scrolled through the list, clicking links to look at the lyrics for songs she didn't recognize. Pulling up limewire, she began to search for some of the songs, downloading the ones that really seemed to capture her feelings.

After nearly an hour of scanning through pages and songs, Bella's eyelids began to feel heavy. Leaving several songs still downloading, she returned to her bed and crawled beneath the covers. _Maybe that finally did the trick_, she thought to herself drowsily, sleep overtaking her moments later.

* * *

By the time Bella awoke the next day, it was already close to noon. She stretched lazily a moment, allowing her mind to drift. Unfortunately, it immediately drifted to Edward and the fact that at this time last week, they had been taking a nap together in Bella's bed. She could clearly remember how safe and happy she had felt lying there in his arms and she shook her head to clear it, sitting up abruptly_. That's not going to help anything,_ she told herself. It was all a lie, remember? She quickly climbed out of bed, determined not to spend any more time thinking about Edward Cullen.

Though it was practically lunchtime, Bella went downstairs to the kitchen to have a bowl of cereal before figuring out how to distract herself for the rest of the day. There was a note from Charlie reminding Bella that he was spending the weekend out at the reservation with his friend Billy to help him make some renovations to his home and, naturally, to fish. At the very bottom of the note, there was also a message that Edward had called the night before while she had been sleeping. Bella crumpled the note up in her hand, balling it tightly in her fist for a moment before shoving it into the garbage.

Bella fixed her cereal, flipping idly through the paper while she ate. Upon finishing, she decided a shower was in order and headed back upstairs. Turning the hot water up high, she stepped into the shower, allowing the soothing spray of the warm water to relax her tense muscles.

When she was finished, Bella stepped up to the mirror, dragging a comb through her wet hair. She paused, putting the comb down on the sink, and looked directly at her reflection. She examined herself in the mirror and a frown settled on her face. Brown hair, brown eyes, average height, average weight. Average. That pretty much summed her up. What on earth had possessed her to think that someone like Edward Cullen, a man who looked more like a god than any mere mortal had a right to, would actually want her?

_Stop it_, she told herself sternly._ No more of that. You know he's certainly not at home crying over you. You should be angry at the way he treated you. Harness that anger and go with it._ _It's certainly easier than being sad,_ she added silently.

Nodding resolutely, Bella dressed and returned to her bedroom. She went over to her computer to find that all of the songs from the night before had finished downloading and she quickly constructed a playlist labeled "Dumped." Hitting play, she dropped back onto her bed, thankful that Charlie was gone for the weekend. As far as Bella was concerned, the longer she could go without having to discuss Edward with Charlie, the better.

She smiled grimly to herself as a familiar song began. The phone next to her bed began ringing but Bella ignored it in favor of belting out the lyrics to the Damien Rice song with a vengeance.

"_So fuck you, fuck you, fuck you_

_And all we've been through_

_I said leave it, leave it, leave it_

_It's nothing to you_

_And if you hate me, hate me, hate me_

_Then hate me so good that you can let me out_

_Let me out of this hell when you're around"_

Halfway through the song, the phone began to ring again. Bella leaned over and turned the ringer off before turning up the volume on her computer. Aside from Angela, there really wasn't anyone she wanted to talk to anyway.

"_And fuck you, fuck you, I love you_

_And all we've been through_

_I said leave it_

_It's nothing to you"_

_Dammit._ She had forgotten how this song ended. She continued singing along, her voice only slightly marred by the tears streaming down her face as the song got right to the heart of the matter. She clutched her pillow to her, her chest aching as sobs began wracking her body. She tightened her grip on the pillow, wondering bleakly if it was always going to hurt this badly.

* * *

When Angela showed up at Bella's house late Sunday afternoon, she let herself in using the hidden spare key on the front steps. She called for Bella as she walked in and was a little surprised to find her lying on the couch watching a _House_ marathon on USA.

Bella had found that with the mood she was in, she really wasn't up for any of her regular TV shows or movies with their characters' love lives and relationships and happily ever afters. Dr. House's cynical, sarcastic nature, however, seemed to perfectly mirror Bella's own bitter feelings and she had spent the better part of the day letting the show distract her from her own thoughts. Her goal for the day, especially after the previous day, was to not shed any tears over Edward. So far, Dr. House's obnoxiously amusing antics had helped her achieve that goal.

After dropping her bag on Charlie's chair, Angela sprawled out on the floor, a pillow from the couch under her head, and the two girls spent the next 45 minutes engrossed in House's latest medical mystery.

"Am I an idiot, Ang?"

The question came out of nowhere, startling Angela. "I, what?" She sat up and clicked off the TV, turning to give Bella her full attention. "No, you're not an idiot. Why?"

Bella sighed. "I mean, just the way I handled this whole situation. I was so ready to believe that his parents and siblings accepting me meant something. I believed all of the sweet things he said and did without really thinking it through. I trusted him so blindly, so quickly. For someone who's supposed to be smart, I feel incredibly stupid."

"You weren't stupid, Bella," Angela said. "You were in lo-"

"Ang!" Bella jerked forward, one hand out as if to silence her friend even as she cut her off.

"Sorry," Angela said, looking down. She composed her thoughts and looked up at Bella again. "You were happy when you were with him," she said gently. "It's not a crime to want to feel like that."

"I was happy," Bella agreed sadly. Then she caught herself. "I mean, I _thought_ I was happy," she corrected. "But none of that was real, so I guess it doesn't really matter anyway.

"Besides, it's not like it would have worked out even if it _was_ for real," Bella continued, almost unaware she was speaking her thoughts out loud. "We're too different and something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. We were both just asking to get hurt. I guess it's better that it happened now before we got too involved. If it hadn't been a lie in the first place," she added hastily.

Angela remained silent, letting Bella ramble on as if trying to convince herself that what had happened was really a good thing.

Bella frowned. "Maybe I'm just a bad judge of character. I mean, why was I so ready to trust him? And how am I going to be able to trust anyone in the future?"

Angela had no answer for her friend and the two girls lapsed back into silence, each lost in her own thoughts.

"I'd like life to go back to being boring," Bella said eventually.

"Hey!" Angela said in mock protest, throwing a pillow at Bella.

Bella smiled. "You know what I mean, Ang. I want to go back to things the way they were a few weeks ago. You know, when we were going to movies and hanging out and worrying about college and normal stuff like that. None of the drama. No getting involved with someone so ridiculously out of my league. No getting my heart broken," she finished in a whisper.

"Oh, Bella," Angela said softly.

Bella shook her head. "It was partly my fault. All of those rumors were true. I was just too stupid to see it."

"What rumors?"

"The ones about Edward," Bella replied with a grimace. "About how he had slept with half the school and is a total slut."

Angela hesitated a moment before speaking. "Bella, I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but I have to ask. What brought all of this on? The last time I saw you and Edward together, you seemed so happy. The next thing I know, you're in pieces because of him. What happened?"

Bella sighed. "Someone opened my eyes to the kind of person he really is. I knew I should have listened to my instincts on this," she added, mostly to herself.

Angela sat silently, waiting for Bella to continue when she was ready. Bella took a deep breath and repeated the conversation she had had with Lauren the previous Thursday. When she finished, she looked to Angela for her reaction.

Angela looked at Bella, her expression doubtful. "Lauren Mallory?" she said skeptically.

Bella sighed. "I know, Ang. But she _knew_ things. She knew details that no one outside of the seven of us knew. How could she have possibly known that stuff if Edward hadn't told her? If at least some of what she was saying is true?"

Angela was quiet for a moment before she spoke, choosing her words carefully. "I know you don't want to hear this, Bella, but I think you really do need to talk to him," she said softly. "If only for your own peace of mind."

Bella shook her head. "Absolutely not!"

Angela sighed at her friend's characteristic stubbornness. "Can you think of any other way to verify or disprove Lauren's story?" Angela asked practically.

Bella snorted, smiling slightly in spite of herself. "You mean like going up to a bunch of girls at school and saying, 'Excuse me. You know Edward Cullen? The guy I was dating? Have you ever slept with him? And did he get points for that? Or are you not part of that game?'"

"Exactly," Angela responded. "So don't you think you should go to the source?"

Bella sighed. "No, Ang. I am not wasting any more time on him."

Angela could feel herself beginning to get frustrated. She knew her best friend was non-confrontational to a fault, but if there was ever a situation that deserved a confrontation, this was it. "Don't you think you should at least hear Edward's side of it? Don't you think you at least owe that to yourself?"

Bella closed her eyes briefly, a pained expression on her face. "Ang, can we not talk about this anymore? Please?" she begged. "It's going to be hard enough when we go back to school next week. I'd like to at least _try_ to enjoy a week of not having to face any of them."

Angela shook her head but all she said was, "Fine, Bella, if that's what you want."

Bella settled back against the arm of the couch with a sigh. Angela might have a point, but it wasn't something she wanted to think about at the moment. The two girls sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Bella suddenly broke the silence.

"Oh, God!" She sat up straight as something terrifying occurred to her. "Ang, I need to get tested!" Her voice was soft but held a slightly hysterical edge.

"Bella," Angela began calmly.

"No, Ang, you don't understand! We didn't use anything! I'm on the pill and he told me he had never had sex before. I'm so stupid! He's slept with half the girls at school – who knows how many times, if ever, he used protection? Oh, my God." She looked at Angela, her eyes wild. "What am I going to do? I can't exactly go to a local clinic. I can just hear the gossip now – Chief Swan's good little girl getting tested for STDs." She groaned, dropping her face into her hands. "Charlie would kill me. He'd probably send me back to Renee."

Angela rose from her spot on the floor and sat next to Bella on the couch. "Bella." She touched Bella's shoulder gently. "If you want, we can go to the free clinic in Port Angeles, okay?"

Bella looked up. "Ang, you don't have to come with me," she protested, secretly relieved by her friend's offer.

Angela ignored her. "We'll go tomorrow while Charlie's at work. I'll pick you up around 1, okay?"

Bella smiled weakly. "Okay. Thanks, Ang."

"You're welcome. Now, I need to get home for dinner. Are you going to be okay?"

"Of course," Bella lied bravely, knowing she'd probably be a nervous wreck until at least the following afternoon.

Angela knew Bella was not being entirely honest but also knew how much her friend disliked being taken care of so she didn't push the issue. "Charlie's home tonight, right?" she asked instead.

Bella nodded. "He should be home any minute, actually, with his fresh catch all cleaned and ready to be made into dinner."

Angela smiled. "Okay. I'll call you tomorrow morning before I come, but let's plan on 1."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Ang."

"Night, Bella," Angela said.

As Angela let herself out of Bella's house and climbed into her car, her mind was in overdrive. What Bella had told her regarding Lauren's little expose on Edward's sexual pastimes had seemed sketchy at best. Unfortunately, Bella was stubbornly refusing to speak to any of the Cullens in order to find out the whole story.

She sighed as she began the drive home. If Bella didn't want to talk to them, then Angela should respect her friend's wishes, she knew that. Still, she couldn't shake the unsettled feeling in her stomach. They _were_ talking about Lauren Mallory after all. Angela trusted her about as far as she could throw her overly made up, designer-clad ass.

Every bit of her brain was screaming at her to go talk to the Cullens and get to the bottom of this mess once and for all. She loathed the idea of going behind her friend's back, but was it really betrayal if she was doing it to help Bella?

Less than a week ago, Bella had been happier than Angela had ever seen her. Now, even when she tried to hide it behind anger, Angela could see how miserable her friend was. Angela shook her head. She couldn't just let Bella continue to suffer like this. Though she knew her friend would kill her if she knew, Angela decided that tomorrow morning before she and Bella went to the clinic, she would stop off and have a chat with the Cullen siblings and see if they couldn't all figure out what was really going on.

Angela let out a deep sigh as she pulled into her driveway, one thought running repeatedly through her mind. _I hope I'm doing the right thing_.

* * *

"I don't like this," Emmett said, looking up toward the third floor. "I don't think I've seen him since mom and dad left on Friday."

Carlisle had surprised Esme with a 10-day vacation in Hawaii and the two had left on Friday evening amid their children's reassurances that they would be fine alone during their spring break. Without his parents there, Edward didn't have to bother hiding his depression over the situation with Bella, and he had barely left his room since their parents' departure.

Alice sighed. "Neither have I. But he doesn't seem to want to talk to anyone and we can't really _make_ him talk to us."

Emmett looked thoughtful a moment. "No," Rose said before Emmett could open his mouth.

"What?"

Rose shook her head. "I know that look. You have some crazy ass idea about how to force Edward to talk to us. It's not gonna happen."

Emmett grumbled but didn't argue. "Has anyone tried to talk to him recently?" Jasper intervened calmly.

"I think I heard him wandering around the house really late last night," Rose said. "But I kinda got the feeling that he wanted to be alone. Plus, I really didn't know what to say to him. I'm not good at that stuff," she admitted.

"Me, neither," Emmett said. "Plus, the music he's been listening to could make you slit your own wrists."

"What about you, Al?" Jasper asked.

Alice shook her head. "I haven't tried since right after mom and dad left."

"I think it's time to try again," Jasper said. "And if anyone can get him to talk, it's you, Alice."

Alice sighed again but didn't disagree. "Okay. I'll go try to draw him out while you guys order dinner. Maybe the lure of Chinese food will get him to leave his room."

The others agreed and Alice made her way up to the third floor, pausing outside of Edward's door. She could hear music coming from Edward's room and she crossed her fingers before knocking tentatively on the door. Receiving no answer, she eased the door open and entered his room. "Edward?"

The room was dark with the curtains drawn tightly and no lamps turned on and it took Alice's eyes a few moments to adjust. Edward was lying on his back on the bed, motionless, and Alice could not tell if his eyes were open or not.

Music came from the speakers on the walls. This song was a bit louder and faster than the other music they had all heard coming from Edward's room at various points over the weekend, but Alice still blanched at the raw emotion coming from it.

"_Take this broken heart and make it right._

_I feel like I've lost everything when you're gone_

_Left remembering what it's like_

_To have you here with me_

_I__ thought you should know_

_You're not making this easy"  
_

"Edward?" Alice said again, her voice gentle.

"What is it, Alice?" Edward asked, not turning to look at her.

"It's time for dinner. We're all feeling kind of lazy, so we just decided to order some Chinese."

"I'm not hungry," Edward said flatly, still not looking at his sister.

"But we got your favorite," Alice said. "And of course, without mom and dad here to stop him, Emmett went overboard with all the eggrolls and-"

"I said I'm not hungry, Alice," Edward repeated, cutting her off in mid-ramble.

Alice hesitated a moment. "Edward, do you want to talk about it?"

Edward rolled over so that his back was to her. "Go eat dinner, Alice," he told her, his voice still devoid of any emotion.

"But Edward-"

"And please close the door behind you."

Alice sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere with Edward at the moment. "Fine. I'll be downstairs if you want to talk. At any time of day or night," she added. Edward gave no indication that he had heard her and Alice finally left, shutting the door quietly behind her.

When Alice returned to the living room, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper looked at her expectantly but she only shook her head. "He wouldn't even look at me," she said wearily, sinking down onto the couch next to Jasper.

"God, what are we going to do?" she asked, dropping her head heavily onto Jasper's shoulder. "He's just so miserable and I have no idea how to help him."

"Of course he's miserable," Emmett said. I mean, think about it. He's been crazy about Bella from the moment he first saw her. No more of that "I don't see the point of dating in high school" bullshit. Instead, he started drooling over her. This went on for over a year before these two miraculously get trapped in a closet together, have sex, and become this freakishly happy couple. His brothers and sisters love her, his parents love her, everybody's so happy, it's practically a freaking Disney movie.

"Then, all of a sudden, she turns on him. She tells him to leave her the fuck alone and then refuses to tell him why. He's devastated, can't figure out what the hell he did wrong so he goes all emo and locks himself in his room listening to whiny music and trying to figure out what went wrong.

"Basically, he was completely blindsided by it all. He was deliriously happy one second, and the next thing he knows, his whole world has fallen apart and he doesn't even know why. I can't tell you what it would do to me if Rose did that," Emmett said honestly.

The room was quiet a moment following Emmett's summary of the events of the previous week before Rose spoke up. "Don't worry, Em," she said, smiling sweetly. "I promise to always tell you what you've done wrong when you screw up."

She, Jasper, and Alice laughed, breaking the serious mood, but Emmett just smiled and threw his arm around Rose's shoulder. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

He kissed Rose's cheek before turning his attention to the others, his expression serious once more. "Truth of the matter is, there's nothing any of us can do or say," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes there is," Alice argued. "We can't just let our brother suffer."

Emmett shook his head. "What Edward wants, hell, what Edward _needs_ right now is Bella. Nothing and no one else is going to do a damn bit of good."

* * *

The following morning, Alice had just finished putting her cereal bowl in the dishwasher when she heard a hesitant knock at the front door. Wondering who on earth could be visiting so early on a Monday morning, she pulled open the door, blinking in surprise at the person who stood on her front steps. "Angela."

"Hi, Alice," Angela said. "Um, can I come in? I need to talk to you – it's important."

"Sure, of course," Alice said, stepping back to let Angela enter the house.

Alice closed the door behind her and turned to look at Angela expectantly. "It's, um, it's about Bella. And Edward," Angela said hesitantly."Bella finally told me the whole story about what happened on Thursday. And it seems a bit, well, off to me. I wanted to run it by you, if, uh, if that's okay with you. I mean, if you still want my help with the situation…"

She trailed off and Alice spoke up. "I would love any help you can give," Alice responded honestly. "It never made any sense – they were crazy about each other one minute, and the next, Bella won't talk to him or any of us. I want to fix this if I can. I hate seeing my brother so miserable and I miss Bella."

Angela bit her lip. "Well, I think you should definitely hear this, then."

"Do you mind if I grab Emmett, Rose, and Jasper? I think they'll probably want to hear it, too."

Angela nodded. "Of course."

"Great. Here, you can just sit down in the living room. I'll be right back with everybody."

Alice darted off up the stairs, excitement coursing through her body. They were finally going to figure this out and everything was going to go back to the way it had been between Bella and Edward. She hugged herself excitedly, bouncing from one foot to the other as she knocked on Emmett's door. "Emmett? Rose?"

Moments later, Emmett opened the door. Over his shoulder, Alice could see Rose sitting cross-legged on Emmett's bed where they'd been watching TV together. "What's up, Al?"

"Angela Weber is downstairs," she said excitedly.

Emmett looked confused. "Bella's friend?"

"Yep."

"But why-?"

"Because she wants to help," Rose said, appearing at his side. "That _is_ why she's here, right, Alice?"

Alice nodded excitedly. "She said Bella told her something that we would all probably want to hear. I'm gonna go get Jazz and then she's gonna tell all of us what she knows."

"Should we get Edward?" Rose asked, glancing down the hall toward the stairway that led up to the third floor and Edward's solitary bedroom.

Alice hesitated a second and Emmett spoke up. "No. At least not until we know what Angela's going to tell us." The girls looked at him in surprise. "What? I'm just saying that there's no reason to drag him out of there and get his hopes up if he's only gonna get wrecked again by what she tells us."

Alice nodded, still a little startled by Emmett's uncharacteristic reasonableness. "No, you're right. Let me get Jazz and-"

"Right here," Jasper said, coming up behind Alice, putting a calming hand on her shoulder. "What's going on?"

Alice smiled. Somehow, Jasper always knew when she needed him and just how to calm her down before she could get too ahead of herself. "Angela Weber, Bella's friend, is downstairs," Alice told him, attempting to keep her excitement in check. "She says Bella told her something and we should know. It's about what happened between Bella and Edward."

"All right, enough talking," Rose said impatiently. "We're never going to find out what she has to say by standing around in the hallway." She exited Emmett's room and made her way to the stairs. "You guys coming or what?"

Alice smiled. Rose was trying to appear gruff, but Alice knew that she was just as excited as she was about the possibility of being able to fix whatever had gone wrong between Edward and Bella. The four teenagers quickly made their way down the stairs and to the living room where Angela sat waiting for them.

Alice and Jasper dropped onto the couch opposite Angela while Emmett perched on the arm of the couch next to Alice and Rose sat in the armchair next to Angela's.

"Hi, guys," Angela said.

"Alice says you know something about why Bella and Edward broke up," Rose said without preamble.

Angela blinked in surprise at the abruptness of Rose's statement. "Well, yes. At least, I think it's important," she said cautiously.

"Please tell me you know something that will get Edward to change all the sad crap he's been listening to. I swear to God, if I have to hear that whiny "Blower's Daughter" song one more time," Emmett grumbled.

Alice swatted Emmett's arm. "Quiet."

At Angela's puzzled look, Emmett explained. "Ever since Bella told him to fuck off, all he's done is sit in his room and listen to all this sad, whiny, depressing music. He's gone totally emo without her."

Angela looked to Alice who shrugged. "Well, I wouldn't put it quite like Emmett did, but he's not wrong. He's barely come out of his room since Friday and I haven't heard him listening to anything but Damien Rice, Ryan Adams, and Snow Patrol in days."

Angela winced slightly. Maybe she had been a little too quick to question Edward's feelings for Bella.

"That aside," Rose began impatiently.

"Right. Well, Bella finally told me the whole story about what happened on Thursday," Angela said. "Between the last time she saw Edward in the morning and the beginning of lunch period." She paused a moment and looked at the others in turn. "None of you are, um, close with Lauren Mallory, are you?"

Emmett snorted. "Are you kidding me? That girl is a serious bitch." Rose shook her head, an expression of distaste on her face. Angela turned to Alice and Jasper.

Alice, too, shook her head. "Not in the least," she promised Angela. "None of us are. She's been chasing after Edward for ages, but he has no interest in her, either."

Angela took a deep breath. "Yeah, that's kind of what I thought." She launched into the story Bella had told her, including all of Lauren's nasty words to Bella as well as the insinuations that the rest of the Cullen siblings were also involved in this so-called game. She finished up by telling them that she would be taking Bella to a clinic that afternoon to be tested for STDs. When she stopped speaking, the others stared at her in shock for a moment.

"I, she, _what_?" Alice finally managed to gasp. "We would _never_…And Edward most certainly would never treat anyone that way, _especially_ not Bella."

Emmett nodded. "He's been drooling over her since she moved here. And tested?" The look on his face was somewhere between outrage and amusement. "Edward's like a freaking priest! I'm not even sure that he's even _kissed_ a girl before Bella."

Angela sighed. "She's scared. The way Lauren tells it, Edward's slept with half the school."

Emmett shook his head. "What I really don't get is why Bella would ever believe Lauren in the first place."

Angela sighed. "Well, that's the thing. First of all, Lauren somehow knew things that no one outside of this room, excluding Bella and Edward, knew. And you all swear you didn't tell her?"

The others shook their heads solemnly. "_Never_," Alice said vehemently. "We swear."

"Well, somehow, Lauren knew stuff," Angela said. "Details. I have no idea how, but Bella figured that the only way Lauren would know what she does is if Edward or one of us had told her, so naturally Bella was freaked out. Plus," Angela stopped and sighed again. "Well, plus, you have to understand Bella. She's not exactly the most confident person in the world. She cared about Edward very much but I know that at the same time, she had her doubts. She even said the other night that it didn't make sense why someone as wonderful as Edward would want to be with someone like her. She just doesn't think she measures up."

"But that's crazy," Alice protested. "She's smart and pretty and sweet and Edward has never wanted anyone else."

"I agree," Angela said. "But that's unfortunately how Bella sees herself."

"As misguided as all of this is," Rose broke in, "we still have to figure out what we're going to do about it. I mean, how are we going to get Bella to believe that Edward didn't do any of that? It's not like she's going to listen to any of us."

Alice sank back on the couch and was silent for a moment. Jasper could practically see the wheels turning in her head and eventually a small smile crept across her face. "I have an idea," she said.

"How to fix this or how to get back at Lauren?" Angela asked.

"Both."

"Excellent." Emmett grinned, patting Alice on the shoulder. "So spill. What's your evil plan, little sis?"

* * *

While his siblings and Angela were plotting downstairs, Edward remained in his bedroom, unaware of the latest development in his apparent falling out with Bella. And while Bella was focusing a lot of her energy on _not_ thinking about Edward, Edward thought only of Bella.

Since Friday night, Edward had spent the majority of his time in his bedroom. He wasn't hungry and he wasn't interested in talking to anybody or doing anything. As far as he saw it, without Bella, what was the point of any of that? What was the point of anything, really? Instead, he kept to his bedroom, not bothering to turn on the television or even the lights, his mp3 player playing a continuous loop of what he knew Emmett would have called his "emo music."

And as much as he loved his parents, he was relieved that they were on vacation until the following Monday. He didn't think he could have handled their questions about Bella and why she wasn't coming around the house anymore. Also, without them there, he didn't have to expend any energy on pretending everything was all right and could instead just give himself over fully to his pain.

Bella hated him, he thought despondently. She had all but said that to him. And he still had no idea why.

The fact that she wouldn't talk to him, no matter how many times he called her, just made the whole situation even harder. He had called her repeatedly on Friday afternoon but no one had picked up. As afternoon turned to evening, Charlie had answered the phone. Praying he wasn't about to invoke the wrath of Forks' chief of police or his gun, he'd identified himself and asked for Bella.

Charlie had told him that Bella was sleeping but said he let her know Edward had called. Charlie hadn't sounded angry or like he was lying, just matter-of-fact, and Edward realized that Bella had not filled Charlie in on whatever it was that Edward had done to make her so upset. He had spent a good portion of Saturday calling her as well, still with no answer, before finally giving up.

Glancing at his bedside clock, Edward realized with a pang that at this time last week, he and Bella had been sitting down to their first lunch period together. He smiled sadly remembering the way Bella had fit in so seamlessly with the rest of his family. There had been laughing and talking and kissing and the nervous excitement of Bella meeting his parents that evening. How had it all gone so wrong so quickly?

Edward was vaguely aware of the sound of activity in the next room and could faintly hear the voices of his siblings, but he found he really didn't care what was going on. With a deep sigh, he pulled his mp3 player from its stereo dock by his bed and attached headphones to it, shutting out the rest of the world as he turned up the volume on the Ryan Adams song currently playing.

_"And I'm nothing now without you_

_Yeah, I'm less than nothing now._

_I am the one between the bars and lost forever now._

'_Cause honey, it's over_

_It's harder now that it's over_

_It's harder now that it's over_

_Now that the cuffs are off_

_And you're free_

_You're free_

_You're free_

_Free with a history"_

* * *

When Bella and Angela returned from Port Angeles late that afternoon, Bella was exhausted. Her blood and urine tests had come back clean, for which she was extremely grateful, but the entire process and emotional strain that had accompanied it had left her completely drained of energy.

Checking the clock, she realized that Charlie would be home from work soon and hastily threw together a lasagna before retreating to the living room. She turned on the TV and settled into her favorite corner of the couch, not really paying attention to the news program playing.

The next thing she knew, Charlie was gently shaking her shoulder. "Bella?"

"Hi, Dad," she said, rubbing her eyes.

"You okay, Bells?" Charlie asked, worry showing in his eyes.

"I'm fine," she reassured him. "Just a little tired. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," she hastily improvised. "Oh, crap!" She leapt to her feet and rushed past a confused Charlie into the kitchen. Throwing on the oven mitts on the counter, she yanked open the door to the oven, sighing in relief when she saw that the lasagna still looked completely edible.

She removed the dish from the oven and set about serving up pieces of it for Charlie and herself. Dinner was a quiet affair, which was not unusual, and Bella ate hurriedly, more than ready to go upstairs and go to bed.

When they were both finished, Bella picked up the plates and utensils and took them over to the sink. She could feel Charlie's eyes on her as she washed the dishes but she didn't turn to look at him, continuing with the chore and letting him decide whether or not he wanted to tell her what was on his mind.

Charlie cleared his throat. "You seem a little down. That because of Edward?"

Bella's stomach dropped at the sound of Edward's name. She really didn't want to get into this with Charlie right now. She was afraid she'd start crying if she tried to explain and that would just make both of them uncomfortable. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to avoid the question.

"Andrea Barron came by the station today to drop off lunch for her brother Tommy," Charlie said. "She works over at the hospital and she was all disappointed because Dr. Cullen's out this week. Something about a family trip to Mexico." He shook his head. "The way those women moon over him. I don't know how his wife puts up with them all."

He rolled his eyes and looked back at Bella. "So, I'm guessing you're missing Edward while he's down having fun in the sun in Mexico." He smiled. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I've seen the way that boy looks at you. He's smart enough to know what he has here. And if he doesn't, well, I happen to be very tight with the police in this town," he teased, winking at her.

Bella's stomach twisted painfully at Charlie's words. Even he had been fooled by Edward's act, it appeared. She forced a weak smile for Charlie's benefit. "Yeah, dad, it does kind of seem like a long week without him," she said honestly.

Charlie smiled understandingly. "Don't worry, week'll be over before you know it and he'll be back."

Bella's stomach turned again. She knew Charlie meant well but he had no idea how much pain he was causing her right now. "I know, dad, you're right. Um, I'm just gonna go upstairs and read for a little while, okay?"

"Okay," Charlie said. "I'm gonna go watch the game if you want to join me."

"Thanks, Dad," Bella said, forcing herself not to run as she made her way out of the kitchen and upstairs to her bedroom. The day had been trying enough as it was without having to listen to Charlie talk about her relationship with Edward. At this point, all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a few days.

Bella had just reached the top of the stairs when she heard the phone ring. Tensing, she waited as she heard Charlie answer and then ask the caller to hold on a second. "Bella!" Charlie called, stopping when he saw her at the top of the stairs. "Oh, hey, Bells. Angela's on the phone."

Bella let out a silent sigh of relief. "Okay, thanks, Dad. I'll get it up here." Bella entered her bedroom, shutting the door behind her and picking up the extension next to her bed. "Got it, Dad," she said. A moment later, she heard a click as Charlie hung up.

"Hey, Ang," Bella said. "What's up?"

"Hey Bella," Angela replied. "So, I was thinking. You were looking for things to go back to normal, boring Forks life, right?"

"That would be nice," Bella said wistfully.

"Okay, well how about we do an incredibly normal, run of the mill, high school thing tomorrow night?"

"And that would be?"

"Tyler's parents are out of town for the break," Angela told her. "So he's doing the 'responsible' thing and having a couple of people over tomorrow night. I think we should go."

"A party? Ang, you know that's not really my thing."

"I know," Angela replied. "It's not really mine, either, but Tyler's our friend. And Mike, Eric, and Ben will be there, too. I'm sure if we all hang out together, we can get life back to boring again," she teased.

Bella snorted. "Way to sell it, Ang. 'This party will be boring, we should definitely go.'"

Angela giggled. "I try. Come on, it'll be good to see everyone again."

Bella hesitated a moment. According to Charlie, the Cullens were away on vacation, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into any of them. And Angela was right, it would be nice to get back to life as normal and hang out with her friends again. Besides, if she didn't get out of the house soon, she was going to end up with a severe case of cabin fever.

"Okay, you twisted my arm," Bella said. "I'll go."

"Great. I'll pick you up at 8."

* * *

Edward lay in his bed, his thoughts as ever consumed by Bella while his music continued to play softly in the background. It was, what, Tuesday? He found that he didn't much care what day it was – without Bella, they all seemed to bleed together anyway.

Bella. His stomach clenched painfully as he pictured her in his mind once more. The only girl he had ever loved and he had never told her. Why had he waited? He had wanted the moment to be perfect, of course – Bella deserved only the best as far as he was concerned. But maybe he should have just come out and told her, he thought to himself. Because as things stood now, she didn't know how he truly felt, how strong his feelings for her were.

_I should have said something_, he thought despairingly. But it was too late. He would never get to tell her he loved her, never get to kiss her again, never make love to her and hold her close to him again.

A sharp knock at Edward's door pulled him from his melancholy thoughts. Before he had a chance to respond, Alice flung the door open and walked in. "Go take a shower and get dressed," she instructed her brother.

"Alice, please go away," Edward mumbled from the bed.

"Nope," Alice replied simply, turning on the overhead light.

Edward closed his eyes against the sudden brightness. "Alice," he groaned. "Turn the light off and go away. Please."

"Nope," Alice repeated. "You are going to get your ass up, take a shower, and get dressed for a party."

Edward groaned again. "Alice, there's no way in hell I'm going to some stupid party."

Alice dropped onto the bed next to Edward. "Yes, you are," she replied. "Because Bella's going to be there and we're going to fix this mess."

Edward's eyes flew open and he looked up at Alice. "What are you talking about, Alice?" He tried to keep his voice neutral but Alice could hear the hopeful undertone to his words.

"Trust me," Alice said. "I have a plan. Now get up and get yourself ready. I'll fill you in in the car."

"But what-"

"I found out why Bella was so upset. Angela told me. And now that I know what caused it, I know how to fix it." Alice jumped up from the bed and headed for the door. "Now get moving," she instructed.

"Alice?" Alice paused, her hand on the doorknob, and turned to face Edward. "You know what caused all of this?" Alice nodded. "Was it," Edward hesitated a moment. "Was it me? Did I screw up?"

His expression was absolutely tormented and Alice had to swallow past a sudden lump in her throat. Lauren Mallory was going to pay for the pain she had caused, that much Alice was sure of. "No, Edward," she said gently. "You didn't do anything wrong." Her eyes narrowed and her expression hardened. "It was that bitch Lauren Mallory and by the end of tonight, she's going to be sorry she ever messed with our family."

Before Edward could ask Alice to explain further, she had left the room, calling over her shoulder, "We're leaving soon so hurry up!"

Twenty minutes later, Edward had showered and dressed and came down to the living room where he found Alice waiting for him. She took in Edward's dark jeans and hunter green t-shirt with a critical eye. "Didn't you see the clothes I left on your bed?" she asked.

Edward just looked at his sister as he pulled on his jacket. While he had been in the shower, the excitement from Alice that had rubbed off on him had dulled somewhat, forcing him back to the reality of the situation at hand. He didn't know if Bella would really be at the party and he didn't know if Alice's plan would really work. He refused to get his hopes up too high and almost to avoid jinxing the whole thing, he had thrown on old clothes instead of Alice's carefully selected outfit.

Alice pursed her lips but didn't say anything further about his clothing, for which Edward was grateful.

"What's with all the boxes outside the guest room upstairs?" he asked, hoping to keep Alice's thoughts firmly away from his clothing choice.

"You'll see soon enough," Alice said with a grin. "Come on, let's go!" She grabbed Edward's arm and dragged him outside to where the rest of their siblings were already waiting.

They took two separate cars to the party – Alice had insisted this would be necessary in case Edward and Bella wanted to go somewhere after they left the party. However, Alice had not allowed Edward to take his Volvo, saying that Bella would recognize it and it would ruin the plan. Instead, Alice, Emmett, and Edward had ridden in Emmett's jeep while Rosalie and Jasper had taken Rose's car. They also parked a block away, again at Alice's direction, in order to avoid Bella possibly recognizing Emmett or Rose's vehicles.

They entered the house in two separate groups in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves by arriving with a large crowd. Emmett, Rose, and Jasper entered first, followed shortly thereafter by Edward and Alice. Alice stuck close to a larger group of people that had just arrived until the two could get safely into the hallway in the back that Angela had told them led to a back flight of stairs.

Emmett and Jasper were already there waiting for them and Alice ducked into the hallway, pulling Edward behind her. Without conscious thought, Edward's eyes immediately began searching for Bella. He found her almost immediately and his fists clenched at his sides as he watched her talking to Aaron Hurley. She smiled at something Aaron said and Edward took a step toward the pair.

"Dammit, Edward, she's going to see you!" Alice hissed, yanking Edward down the hall. She glared at Edward as she dragged him behind her. Her brother was going to ruin her perfect plan before it even got a chance to work just because he was jealous. "Now go with Emmett," she commanded. "And for God's sake, don't let Bella see you!"

"Come on," Emmett said, taking Edward by the arm. "Just trust Rose, okay? In a little while, this will all be fixed and you won't have to worry about Hurley or any other guys sniffing around Bella."

Edward did not look entirely convinced but he followed Emmett down the hallway and up the stairs. Alice pulled out her cell phone and sent a quick text to Angela. Angela felt the phone vibrating in her pocket and glanced around quickly until she saw Alice. Alice nodded to her and then she and Jasper followed after Emmett and Edward.

Two minutes later, Angela walked over to where Bella was still talking to Aaron. "Hey guys. Um, sorry to do this, Aaron, but do you mind if I borrow Bella for a minute?"

Aaron smiled easily. "Not at all. Just as long as you bring her back."

Angela smiled weakly at him before grabbing Bella's arm. "Can I talk to you?" she whispered.

"Sure, what's up, Ang?"

Angela shook her head. "Not here. It's, um, it's kind of private. It's about Ben," she said.

Bella smiled. She had always known Angela had a crush on the sweet, quiet boy, though she had repeatedly denied it.

"Let's go upstairs, okay?" Bella agreed and the two made their way over to the main staircase. Over Bella's shoulder, Angela caught Rose's eye and nodded before she disappeared upstairs with Bella.

Upon receiving the signal from Angela, Rosalie casually sauntered over to Lauren who was pouring herself a drink at the makeshift bar.

"Hey, Lauren," Rose said with a cool smile. "Having fun?"

"Uh, hi, Rosalie," Lauren said, surprised that the gorgeous blonde was addressing her.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Lauren replied, her expression slightly confused.

Rose turned, gesturing for Lauren to follow her, and made her way over to the stairs. Without bothering to turn around to make sure Lauren was still following her, Rose quickly made her way to the second floor. At the end of the hallway, she walked into a large, empty guest bedroom and waited for Lauren to join her, motioning for the other girl to shut the door behind her after she entered the room.

"So, what's up, Rosalie?" Lauren asked, striving for a cool, collected demeanor.

"I've just been doing some thinking lately," Rose replied. "And I've realized something very important. People tend to judge you by the company you keep. And not just by the people you date and hang out with, but by the people who your friends date, too. And when it's your boyfriend's brother, well…" Rose trailed off, scowling.

"I can't even tell you how I felt when Emmett told me Edward was dating Bella Swan," she continued, practically spitting out Bella's name. "And while the others might have been okay with it, I knew how wrong it was and just how badly it reflected on the rest of us." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But I couldn't do anything about it. They were all so happy about it and he was so happy, they would have killed me if I'd done something to remedy the situation." She smiled at Lauren. "Which is where you came in and I want to thank you for that."

"Well, I'd say you're welcome, Rose, but I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about," Lauren replied, trying to look innocent.

Rose shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell. Hell, like I said, I'm happy those two broke up. Makes my life a lot easier. But I know it was you. I overheard Bella sniveling to some friend of hers about how Lauren had told her the truth about what a jerk Edward is. I figured you were the only Lauren with enough brains to figure out how to end that train wreck."

She paused, taking a sip of her drink before she continued. "What I'm dying to know, though, is how you did it. I mean, those two were disgustingly googly eyed at each other. Even I couldn't figure out how to separate them." She smiled at Lauren. "So come on, spill."

This time, Lauren didn't hesitate, eager to finally be able to share her scheme with someone. "It was actually incredibly easy," she said with a nasty smile. "Last Wednesday, I was at school late because I'd forgotten my notebook in Bio and I had to go back to school and get it. While I was in the classroom, who should I hear but little Miss Bella and that geeky friend of hers. Now normally, I could care less what people like that have to say. However, they were talking about Edward and of course I just had to listen in."

She smiled again. "They were walking down the hall talking about Bella and Edward, going on about how his parents loved her and she was so freaking great and all that. And then I heard the one thing that made it all worth it. Bella told her little friend that she and Edward had had sex in the Biology closet the week before! It was just too good an opportunity to pass up and I knew I could have some fun with that. I mean, really, who does she think she is? Like she's good enough for Edward? Please. She's so lame. Like you said, you really don't want someone so embarrassing hanging around with your group. So I fixed it."

Emmett heard Edward growl softly and he quickly grabbed his younger brother, pinning his arms to his sides with one arm while covering his mouth with his other hand. "Dude, shut up!" he hissed. "Just give Rosie a few more minutes. Remember, Bella's watching, too – you need her to hear all of this."

"After that, it was just too easy," Lauren continued. "I got Bella alone the next day after class and told her that I knew all about what was going on because Edward had told me and it was all a part of a game a bunch of us played. I told her he was sleeping with her for points and he was using her to keep his parents off his back about dating."

She smirked. "I may have implied that you all were involved, too, and that Edward and I had slept together in the past. Her face was priceless! I thought she was going to cry or pass out or something but she just ran out of the room. Next thing I know, everyone's talking about how they've broken up. Mission accomplished."

Lauren held up her plastic cup in a toast but Rosalie just stared at her. "You stupid bitch," she said, shaking her head slightly. Then, in a slightly louder voice, "That enough, Al?"

The closet on the left side of the room opened and Lauren's mouth dropped open as Jasper and Alice stepped out. "Oh, _so_ much more than enough," Alice said, glaring at Lauren, her petite frame shaking with fury. "Guys?"

The door to the attached bathroom opened and Emmett and Edward stepped into the room. At the same time, the closet on the other side of the room opened and Angela and a very red-faced Bella joined the group.

"You set me up!" Lauren whined, turning to Rose.

Rose snorted. "Hardly. You were so anxious to brag about what you'd done to fuck with my brother and Bella's lives – all I did was give you an audience."

Alice glared at Lauren. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you? Who does things like this? What, you just couldn't stand to see two people so happy together when your life is so crappy? Couldn't stand the fact that Bella had what you never could, no matter how hard you tried?" She shook her head. "Get over it, Lauren. Edward wants to be with Bella and they're happy together. So why don't you just go crawl back under your rock and leave them alone?"

Lauren stared back at Alice challengingly. "Hey, it's not my fault she was so ready to believe Edward had told people about what happened or that he was sleeping with half the school. Clearly, they have their own trust issues." She smirked. "Hardly sounds like the stable, fairytale relationship you seem to imagine it is."

Alice opened her mouth to speak again, but Bella stepped forward, placing a hand on Alice's shoulder. She looked at Lauren and shook her head. "You are such a poor excuse for a human being," she told the blonde girl coldly.

Lauren scoffed. "Like it matters what you think, Bella. Everyone else knows I'm right. And most importantly, Edward knows I'm right."

Edward stared at Lauren in disgust. "You're pathetic," he said in a low voice. He moved to stand at Bella's shoulder. "Bella is the only one I want and there's nothing you or anyone else can say or do to ever change that."

Lauren's face fell at Edward's words and Alice smiled victoriously, crossing her arms over her chest. "I promise you, you do not want to mess with my family again, Lauren," she said calmly.

Lauren raised an eyebrow at the smaller girl. "And if I do?"

Emmett, Jasper, and Rose stepped up next to Alice. "Then you'll have to deal with all of us," Rose said icily. "And we're not all as _nice_ as Alice here."

"I'm not afraid of you, Rosalie Hale," Lauren said haughtily.

"Oh, yes, you are," Rose said with a smile. "And believe me, you _should_ be."

Lauren gulped at the expression on Rose's face. "Whatever," she said, her shaky voice betraying her feigned calm.

She opened the door to leave the room but Rose spoke again, stopping her. "Oh, and Lauren?" Lauren turned to look at Rose. "One more thing. This is _so_ far from over."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Rosalie smiled sweetly. "Don't worry," she promised. "You'll find out soon enough."

"Whatever," Lauren sniffed. "It's not like those two will last anyway." And without looking at any of them again, Lauren turned on her heel and beat a hasty retreat.

"What a bitch," Emmett murmured. Alice released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and nodded her agreement.

"What are you going to do to her?" Bella asked when Lauren was out of earshot.

Emmett grinned. "Absolutely nothing!" he said gleefully.

"Nothing?"

Now it was Rosalie's turn to smile. "Nothing," she confirmed. "But Lauren doesn't know that. She's gonna spend the next few _months_, at least, looking over her shoulder. And I'm willing to bet the stuff her imagination comes up with will be far worse than anything we could legally do to her."

Emmett laughed loudly, throwing an arm around Rose's shoulder. "This part was all her idea. Don't mess with my Rosie," he said, grinning broadly.

"A little mind fuck goes a long way," Rose said. "Especially if your mind is as little as Lauren's." She didn't add that she had also not wanted to put Bella through the pain or embarrassment that would have come with the attention the very public humiliation Lauren had really deserved would have caused.

She let out a breath and then turned to Bella with an apologetic look on her face. "Bella, I'm so sorry about what I said to Lauren. I didn't mean a word of it. I just had to get that bitch to admit what she had done."

She looked absolutely agonized and Bella smiled wanly. "I know, Rose," she said truthfully. "Thank you for doing all of this, for clearing everything up."

Rose smiled. "You're very welcome," she said honestly. "But really, this was all Alice's idea."

Bella turned to the smaller girl. "Thank you, Alice."

Alice threw her arms around Bella. "Anything for you guys," she told her. "Oh, sweetie, I missed you!"

Emmett joined them, picking up both girls in a crushing bear hug. "Same here. Welcome back, Bella Marie!"

"Thanks, Emmett," Bella said breathlessly when Emmett finally released her.

Edward looked at Rose. "Thank you," he said sincerely. _I'm sorry for doubting you_ went unsaid, but Rose understood.

She nodded briefly, a smile on her face, before grabbing Emmett's arm. "You promised me a party," she reminded him.

Emmett took Rose's hand. "See you losers later," he said with a grin as he and Rose left the room.

Angela turned to Edward, shamefaced. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you," she told him.

He smiled. "You don't need to apologize, Angela. I'm glad Bella has a friend like you to look out for her."

Angela smiled as Alice came up and grabbed her hand. "Come on, you guys, Rose is right," she said, reaching over to grab Jasper's arm with her other hand. "This is a party – let's go party! We'll see you guys later," she added over her shoulder to Bella and Edward as the group of three left the room, leaving the pair alone in the room.

Bella had been observing Edward covertly since he had stepped out of the bathroom and was startled at how tired and worn he looked – his face was thinner and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was smiling when he turned to look at her, though, his eyes softly sparkling at her.

"Edward, I'm sorry," Bella said softly. "I shouldn't have believed Lauren, I should have known better. I-"

"Bella, please don't apologize," Edward said. "This wasn't your fault."

Bella shook her head. "I should have come to you about it rather than just getting upset. I was stupid to ever listen to Lauren and I'm so sorry that I hurt you."

Edward stepped closer and reached out to gently brush her cheek with the back of his hand, wishing he could take away the sadness and self-recrimination in her eyes. "Don't be sorry. None of this is your fault," he assured her. "I'm sorry you were so hurt by what she did and what she said. I hate to think that I had any part in hurting you."

Bella shook her head. "Don't," she whispered. "It wasn't your fault."

Edward drew her into his arms and held her close. "Bella," he murmured, burying his face in her neck. "My Bella."

Bella rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him and letting her fingers trail lightly through his hair. She closed her eyes, trying to commit to memory his scent and the feeling of his hair between her fingers.

"I'm just glad it's all been sorted out," Edward told her after a moment, pulling back to look into her eyes. "You don't know how much I've missed you."

Bella smiled weakly. "I think I have an idea," she replied.

Edward cupped her face in his hands. "My beautiful Bella," he murmured. His hands slid back to tangle in her hair as he pulled her to him again, his lips meeting hers in a tender kiss. Bella melted against him, kissing him back with everything she felt for him, knowing this would be the last chance she would have to do so.

When they separated, Edward rested his forehead against Bella's. "Do you want to go over to my house?" Edward asked. "We can watch a movie or something. I mean, we can stay here if you'd prefer, but right now, I'd really rather be alone with you."

Bella shook her head and stepped out of Edward's arms, bracing herself. "I can't," she whispered.

"Do you have to get home?"

"No, I mean I can't do this," Bella said. "Us."

Edward's blood turned to ice in his veins. "What?" His voice was strangled.

"Lauren was right," she told him. "There was obviously something wrong here, even without her. I mean, why else would I have been so ready to believe you'd told people? That this was nothing more than a joke to you?"

"It's just because it was all so new," Edward told her desperately. "You had your doubts or your fears. Everyone does, that's totally normal. And everyone was talking about us, which didn't help your nerves any. But that's died down now, we can get on with our lives without everyone pointing and whispering." His voice came out in a rush – he had to make her see he was right.

But Bella shook her head. "I'm sorry, Edward," she said softly. "Look at how much I've already hurt you. I don't want either one of us being hurt like this again. Trust me, it's for the best. Things like what Lauren did are only going to continue happening; we'd never have a chance to be really happy together. It's best to walk away now before we're both hurt so much more."

"Bella, please don't do this."

Bella finally dared to look up at Edward and instantly wished she hadn't. He looked…shattered. There was no better word for it. She needed to get out of there before she lost her resolve. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

"But, Bella, I-"

She shook her head. "Goodbye, Edward." She walked out of the bedroom and back downstairs to where the party was still in full swing.

Edward stood, unable to move as he watched Bella walk away from him once again. "But I love you, Bella," he whispered brokenly, knowing she was too far away by then to hear him.

Moments later, Edward was pulled from his daze by the sound of familiar voices. Alice and Emmett had seen Bella return to the party alone and had immediately gone in search of their brother. "Edward? What's going on? We just saw Bella leave with Angela." Alice was confused. What was going on here? She had fixed this terrible situation and Lauren had been exposed for the lying bitch that she was. Bella and Edward should be smiling and kissing and holding onto each other right now. Why, then, was her brother standing alone in the guest bedroom looking like he'd just lost his best friend?

Edward focused on his brother and sister and Alice saw the tears standing in his eyes. "She doesn't want me," he whispered. "She said it's for the best." He closed his eyes and the tears spilled over, unnoticed.

Alice and Emmett exchanged a look before they both moved to his side. "Come on, little bro," Emmett said, forcing a cheery tone as he slung an arm around Edward's shoulder. "Let's go home. Bella just needs a little time. She'll call you tomorrow and the two of you will be back to making the rest of us sick with how happy you are."

Alice gave Emmett a look to tell him he was pushing it. She stood on the opposite side of Edward and took his hand in hers. "Come on, Edward," she said softly. "Let's get home. We'll figure this out, don't worry. Everything's going to be okay."

Edward allowed his siblings to lead him out of the party and to where the jeep was parked. He didn't say a word to Alice or Emmett as he climbed into the backseat and they exchanged worried looks as Emmett climbed into the driver's seat and they headed home. Bits of the conversation with Bella kept running through his head. "There was obviously something wrong here. It's for the best. We'd never have a chance to be really happy together. Goodbye, Edward. Goodbye."

And then Alice's words. "Everything's going to be okay." How? The center of his life, the girl he loved more than anything in the world, didn't want to be with him. How was that possibly going to be okay? Tears slid down Edward's face but he ignored them. Bella was gone. Despite what Alice had said, he knew nothing would ever be okay again.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

**Title**: Wait for You

**By**: Liz

**Rating**: M

**Disclaimers**: The characters are not mine, any and all music is not mine, only the plot and my words belong to me.

**Notes**: I am so sorry this took so long and I also apologize for the length (seriously, it's twice the length of the one-shot that spawned it). I guess I had a lot more to say than I realized. This is for my beta and the best editor/shrink/pep talker/angst goddess out there, goo82. I may just be lucky enough to help out on her amazing fic "Love Is" and I'm so excited! Also, for my personal cheerleader, lakers0604. You are so awesome, girl, and I can't wait to start our fic together!

**Special Note**: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, or alerted. You all are so amazing and you've made my first experience with a multi-part fic just awesome. Thank you twilight-is-lovee, Shdwcat27, sweetswirlypop, Blue-Eyed Chica, EC4me, efromhawaii, pippapear, graciousplum, TopazHeart, Sheeijan, HopelessRomantic, Sweetdreams82, TwiDi, krissf, GiulyRoberts, madisonbelle and everyone else who has been so awesome. I know I'm leaving people out and please don't think that means I've forgotten you. I appreciate everyone so much – this chapter is just so long already! So big hugs and thank yous to everyone!

**Music Note:** I've included all of the songs used in this story in my profile including links to some. While I always recommend listening to the music, please listen to "Your Face" when it comes up in the story if you can. I think it definitely adds to the overall mood.

* * *

Chapter 9

"What kind of juice did Alice say she wanted?" Emmett asked, stepping back from the shelves and looking at the numerous bottles on the shelves in front of him. The two boys were standing in the middle of the juice aisle at the local Thriftway having been sent out early that afternoon by Alice with instructions to pick up enough food to last them until Esme and Carlisle returned home from their vacation.

Jasper reached past Emmett and grabbed a bottle of Santa Cruz Raspberry Lemonade, dropping it into the nearly overflowing shopping cart in front of him. "On second thought, better grab a couple," Jasper said, pulling two more bottles off of the shelf. "Alice does like to drown her sorrows."

He and Emmett exchanged a look. "This sucks," Emmett muttered. "I really thought Alice had it all figured out last night. I mean, I'd have put money on her – we both know how stupid it is to bet against Alice." Jasper nodded silently in agreement as both boys recalled the events of the night before.

************

Flashback

************

When Alice, Emmett, and Edward returned home, Edward silently exited the car and walked into the house. Alice and Emmett followed closely behind him, concerned by the zombie like state their brother had been in since they had left the party. Edward's silence continued as he walked through the house and he did not give any indication that he knew his siblings were behind him until they reached his room on the third floor.

At the door to his bedroom, Edward stopped and turned to face Emmett and Alice. "Looks like you were wrong, Alice," he said sadly. "Looks like it was something I did after all." Without another word, he walked into his bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. Moments later, Alice and Emmett heard music coming from the stereo in his room.

Emmett refrained from making a crack about how at least Edward hadn't had time to change his playlist as Alice turned to her big brother, her eyes filled with tears. Emmett didn't say a word, lifting his tiny sister easily into his arms and walking down toward Alice's room, the mournful music from Edward's room following them down the stairs.

"_I just wanted you to love me_

_I just wanted you to love me_

_Touch, feel and lose_

_And cry, cry, cry_

Cry, cry, cry"

Jasper met them at the door to Alice's room where Emmett set Alice back on her feet. She turned and hugged Emmett fiercely before turning to Jasper. He took her in his arms and the two boys exchanged a look over her head before Jasper led Alice into her bedroom and Emmett continued down the hall to his own room.

As he got ready for bed, Emmett could hear Rose in her own bedroom next to his. She loudly slammed drawers and doors in her room while an angry sounding bass thumped from her stereo speakers. Emmett was torn. He wanted to go to Rose and comfort her, but he also knew her well enough to know that she needed to release her frustrations before she would be in any kind of mood to talk or be soothed.

He left the door to his bedroom ajar before turning off his light and climbing into bed. He tried to clear his thoughts so he could sleep, but the anguished face of his younger brother dominated his thoughts. What had _happened_ tonight? Bella hadn't looked angry or even very upset when he and Rose had left the guest bedroom earlier that evening. How, then, had the evening ended with Bella and Edward still apart and his brother practically broken in the bedroom above him?

Bella was a sweet girl, of that Emmett was certain. It was one of the things that he liked most about the shy girl. He knew that she would not have done anything to intentionally harm Edward. He also knew that the two had been extremely happy together – there was no way that had been an act on either one of their parts. So what had gone wrong?

Emmett groaned in frustration, punching his pillow as he rolled over onto his side, his troubled thoughts making sleep nearly impossible. He had no idea how long he had been lying there when he heard his door creak slightly and then click shut. The mattress sagged ever so slightly as Rose lay down next to Emmett. She pressed her back against his chest, Emmett's arms automatically wrapping around her waist and holding her close.

"Love you, Em," Rose whispered, resting her hands on top of his as they lay draped across her stomach.

"I love you, too, Rosie," Emmett told her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder as he squeezed her hands gently.

They lay there silently awhile longer before the combination of exhaustion and the comfort of their bodies pressed together finally allowed the two to find refuge from their discontented states in sleep. Around them, the Cullen household settled in for the night, the house dark, the thoughts of its inhabitants somber.

*************

End Flashback

*************

"I'm gonna go get some Pop Tarts," Emmett told Jasper. "I doubt they're on Alice's list, but I want some."

Jasper nodded distractedly, pushing the cart up the aisle behind Emmett as he dug in the back pocket of his jeans for Alice's shopping list. The two boys turned left and walked to the next aisle, stopping for a moment at the head of the cereal aisle as Jasper pulled the list from his pocket.

Jasper was busy surveying the list Alice had carefully written out for them when he felt Emmett's elbow dig into his side. He glanced up, mildly annoyed, but saw that Emmett's attention was focused elsewhere. "Bella," Emmett said quietly.

Jasper followed Emmett's gaze and saw that his friend was indeed correct. Bella stood halfway down the aisle with a mostly empty shopping cart next to her. She was staring at a box of Special K in her hand but her eyes looked unfocused and Jasper would have bet she couldn't have told him anything that was written on the box.

"Maybe she can tell us what happened last night."

Jasper groaned silently. He knew that Emmett wanted to get Bella and Edward back together – probably as badly as Alice did, in fact. He also knew, however, that Emmett could sometimes be about as subtle as a brick to the head. The way Bella looked right now, Jasper didn't really think she was in any shape to handle Emmett's blunt nature. "Emmett," Jasper began, trying to drag his friend from the aisle before he could alert Bella to their presence.

"Bella!"

Too late.

Bella started, the box of cereal falling from her hand as she turned toward the sound of the familiar voice.

"Gotta be more careful, Bella Marie," Emmett said, grabbing the box of cereal from the ground and depositing it in her cart as he reached her side.

Bella nodded weakly. "Hi," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jasper took in her appearance as he quickly joined Emmett. Her eyes looked bloodshot, as if she had been crying, and there were faint circles beneath her eyes. "Hi, Bella," he said gently. He noticed Bella's eyes dart nervously over his shoulder and he quickly tried to ease her mind. "Alice put me and Emmett on grocery duty since Esme and Carlisle are out of town. The two of us are supposed to figure out what we're all going to eat for dinner until they get back from Mexico." He put emphasis on the words "two of us," letting Bella know that Edward was not with them.

Jasper saw Bella's tense posture relax ever so slightly as she swallowed and nodded. "Me, too," she mumbled. "I mean, I'm getting food for me and Charlie. To eat."

Jasper nodded, his expression kind. Emmett, however, was ready for some answers. "So what happened last night, Bella?" he asked conversationally.

The color drained from Bella's face and Jasper closed his eyes briefly, swearing under his breath.

"I, um, what do you mean?" Bella stuttered.

"Well, thanks to Alice and Rose, we know that Lauren was behind all this crap in the first place and Edward didn't do anything wrong, right?" Bella nodded, not meeting Emmett's gaze. "So how come you dumped him again anyway?"

Bella swallowed convulsively. "Please don't do this, Emmett," she whispered.

"Bella, I want to understand," Emmett pleaded. "Do you have any idea how much you mean to him? What this is doing to him?"

"That's why, don't you see?" Bella shook her head. "I know he was hurt. I also know that things like what Lauren did would keep happening if we stayed together. It's too much to go through again."

"So it gets too hard and suddenly it's not worth it? Suddenly Edward's not worth it?"

"That's not fair, Emmett," Bella said quietly. "That's not why I'm doing this."

"Then why, Bella?" Emmett asked. "Because right now, Edward thinks it's because you don't want him anymore. He thinks it's because of something _he_ did."

"That's not-" Bella cut herself off, a pained expression on her face. "That's not it at all. You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me," Emmett challenged. His voice softened. "Please."

"I saw how awful Edward looked last night. That was all because of _me_. Because I was so ready to believe Lauren's lies without even talking to him. And he deserves so much more than that, than me. He deserves someone who trusts him and is willing to talk about things instead of just overreacting and hurting him." Bella shook her head. "Don't you see? This is all so that Edward _won't_ get hurt again."

Emmett regarded her silently a moment before speaking. "I thought you were supposed to be smart, Bella."

"Emmett!" Jasper said sharply. Bella gaped at Emmett, speechless.

Emmett shook his head. "Listen to yourself. You're telling me that the best way to keep Edward from getting hurt again is by breaking his heart first? That makes no sense."

Bella's eyes were sad as she met Emmett's gaze. "He's not heartbroken," she insisted. "He'll be fine in a few days, he'll get over it and move on and I won't be able to hurt him anymore. And that's the best thing for him."

"I think you're the one who doesn't understand, Bella," Emmett told her. "Edward never wanted to date any of those girls at school, even though they were always throwing themselves at him. He said he never saw the point of dating in high school. But when you came to Forks, all that changed. It was like he was waiting for you or something.

"I've never seen him happier than he was when he was with you, Bella. Never. Did you know that even before you two got together, he was dreaming about you? Yeah, I heard him say your name in his sleep."

Bella swallowed hard and bowed her head, unable to look at Emmett as the same feelings of guilt and pain she had experienced the night before upon seeing Edward's distraught face washed over her once again.

"And when all that shit went down with Lauren, he was completely wrecked," Emmett continued, refusing to let up. He loved Bella like a sister, honestly he did, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. However, at the moment, he almost wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, make her listen to him and realize that what he was saying was true. He could see how miserable both she and Edward were when they were apart, so if he had to be a little tough on Bella right now to get her to listen and get the two of them back together, then he would do whatever it took.

"Last night was the first night he's really been out of his room since you first told him to get lost. Hell, it was the first time he's showed any signs of being human since then. I saw how happy he was just to _see_ you again. And after you walked away from him again, Alice and I practically had to carry him out of there. Now he's back in his room with Ryan Adams and Damien Rice on repeat and he won't talk to any of us because the only person he wants, the only person he _needs,_ is you, Bella. So tell me, you really think that you're doing what's best for Edward? That you're going to keep him from getting hurt by doing this?"

Jasper put a hand on Emmett's arm to calm him and stepped closer to Bella. "What Emmett is saying is that Edward is hurting, Bella. A lot. I've known him a long time and I've never seen him like this. I know in reality it's none of our business, but we all care about the two of you and we don't want to see either of you hurting like this. I know you're afraid of being hurt again, but don't you think you could at least talk to him?"

Bella shook her head, not looking at either of them. "I can't," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"But, Bella-" Emmett began, his voice calm once more, his tone almost pleading.

"Guys, please, I know you mean well, but please don't make this harder than it already is." Bella glanced up at Emmett and Jasper quickly. "It's for the best," she told them, her voice choked. "I have to go." Leaving her shopping cart where it was, she quickly walked down the aisle and out of the store.

Emmett let out a low whistle. "Woah," he muttered.

Jasper agreed. He, too, had seen the tears in Bella's eyes right before she'd walked away from them. "Looks like this isn't any easier on Bella than it is on Edward, no matter who did the breaking up."

* * *

While Emmett and Jasper were finishing up their grocery shopping expedition, Angela was ringing the doorbell at the Cullens' house. Alice had been pacing the living room waiting for Angela and she flung the door open before the sound of the doorbell had completely faded.

"Did you see her? Is she mad? Does she hate us?"

Rose appeared behind Alice and gently pulled her out of the doorway. "Alice, let Angela come in first before you start haranguing her."

Angela shot Rose a grateful look as she stepped inside, shutting the front door behind her. "Let's go in there and talk," Rose suggested, gesturing toward the living room. The other two nodded and followed Rose into the living room.

Alice dropped onto the couch while Rose and Angela sat in armchairs across from her. Once everyone was seated, Alice turned to Angela, impatience radiating from her tiny body.

"I went to Bella's this morning to talk to her about last night and to see how she was doing with everything," Angela began.

"Does she hate us now?" Alice asked worriedly.

Angela shook her head. "She doesn't hate anyone," she assured the two girls. "Including Edward."

************

Flashback

************

Angela rang the doorbell, twisting her hands nervously while she waited for Bella to answer the door. When she had driven her friend home from the party the night before, Bella hadn't said much. Angela had no idea if Bella was okay or if she was even speaking to her after the previous night's events. Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Bella. The two girls stared at each other silently for a moment before Angela spoke. "Hi, Bella. Um, can I come in?" Angela asked cautiously.

"Sure," Bella said, stepping aside to let Angela inside. She shut the door behind her friend and led her into the living room. Angela followed, silently taking in Bella's appearance as the two sat down. Bella's eyes were puffy and bloodshot, hinting at the tears she had recently shed, and there were faint shadows beneath her eyes leaving Angela to wonder if the other girl had gotten any sleep the night before.

Once the two girls were settled, Angela wasted no time in apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have lied to you. I knew what Lauren had told you couldn't be true, but I'm sorry I went behind your back like that."

"It's okay, Ang," Bella said. "I'm not mad at you or Alice or anyone else who was involved last night. Really," she added, seeing the look on Angela's face. "I know you all were just trying to help. And I'm glad that I know the truth now."

Angela nodded. "Thank you. I'm still sorry, though." Bella nodded in acknowledgement and the two girls were quiet for a few moments. Finally, Angela spoke up again. "How are you doing with everything?" she asked gently. "I mean, a lot happened last night. Are you okay?"

"It _was_ a pretty eventful night, wasn't it?" Bella asked rhetorically. She shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'm okay, I guess. Like I said, I am glad that I know what really happened."

"So you forgive Edward, then?"

"There's nothing to forgive, Ang. He didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why did you leave the party with me and not him?" Angela asked gently.

Bella was silent for a few moments before she finally spoke. "Did you see Edward last night?"

Angela looked at her strangely. "Of course I did, Bella. We were all in the same room together. I even talked to him, if you recall."

Bella shook her head. "No, I mean did you really _see_ him? He looked terrible, like he hadn't slept or eaten in a week. And that was my fault – I did that, I hurt him. And maybe it's selfish, but I just can't risk doing that to him again."

"But Bella," Angela began. "That was all because of Lauren – she's the one to blame for all of this, not you. None of it was your fault."

"Wasn't it, though? I mean, first of all, I'm the one who was stupid enough to talk about such a personal thing in a public place. And then when Lauren lied to me, I listened to her. I _believed_ her without even giving Edward a chance to say anything. I didn't think, hey, maybe someone heard me when I was talking about having sex with Edward in the _hallway_ of the school. No, I immediately thought the worst of him. And he had never given me any reason to think he would do something like that, never. He was never anything but sweet and wonderful and caring and I discounted everything I knew about him in a heartbeat because of a few words from Lauren. _Lauren Mallory_, of all people. I-"

Bella's voice had been rising in intensity as she spoke and she cut herself off, looking down at her lap. She took a shuddering breath and when she looked up, Angela could see a sheen of tears in her eyes. "I'll only end up hurting him again and I can't do that," she continued softly. "He deserves so much better than that."

Bella paused to take another shaky breath before she continued. "He may be upset for a few days, but he'll get over it and be able to get back to his regular life. He really is a wonderful guy," Bella whispered, her voice catching slightly, "and he deserves what's best for him. So that's what I'm doing."

*************

End Flashback

*************

Angela shook her head. "She doesn't hate him, not even close," she told the others. "She's doing this because she thinks it's what's best for Edward. She's doing this to protect him from getting hurt again."

"That's pretty much what she told us, too." The three girls looked up to see Jasper and Emmett standing in the doorway, each carrying several grocery bags.

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked.

"We just saw her at Thriftway," Emmett responded.

"What? What did she say? How did she look?" Alice demanded.

"Let us put these up and we'll tell you everything," Jasper said, gesturing to the bags they held.

"Do you guys need any help?" Angela offered.

Jasper smiled. "No, but thanks, Angela. This is all of it. We'll just put them away and be back. Anyone want anything to drink?" Alice began to speak and Jasper smiled at her. "Santa Cruz for Alice. Anyone else?" Rose and Angela shook their heads and the boys headed to the kitchen with their bags.

A few moments later, they returned to the living room, Jasper handing Alice a large glass of raspberry lemonade before he settled next to her on the couch. He and Emmett recounted their run in with Bella at the supermarket and Angela filled the boys in on her earlier conversation with Bella.

"I say we lock them in a room and leave them until they sort this out," Emmett said, only half joking.

"Yeah, 'cause that couldn't possibly backfire," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"It might be a stupid idea, but it's no dumber than the way they're acting," Emmett defended. "I mean, they both know the truth of what really happened, but Edward's still acting like it was all his fault and Bella, I don't know, she has some crazy idea about this being the best way to not hurt Edward."

"And she kind of blames herself, too, for anything happening in the first place," Angela added.

"What do you mean?" Emmett asked. "Lauren's the one who started all this shit."

"Yeah, but Bella thinks she's partly to blame for talking about it where she could be overheard. She's got some serious guilt over this big mouth she thinks she has."

"Bella thinks she has a big mouth? Seriously?" Emmett was astounded. Before Edward and Bella had gotten together, Emmett wasn't altogether sure he had _ever_ heard Bella speak before.

"Like I said," Angela replied, "she feels guilty. Guilt's not always rational. She's beating herself up over not realizing that that was how Lauren knew anything and just believing her and blaming Edward. She thinks she should have known better and she hates that she believed Lauren over Edward and hurt him. She doesn't really seem to trust herself not to hurt him again."

"Well the whole situation was so fantastic anyway," Jasper said. "It was like something in a movie. Who really would have thought something like that could happen? Besides, I get the feeling that Bella's just so innocent that she would never think someone could be as scheming and nasty as Lauren."

Rose shrugged. "I don't even think it's that. I think it's like Angela said. She still cares about Edward and she feels so awful about how badly she hurt him that she thinks the only way she can protect him is to stay away from. Not to mention her totally messed up notion that she's not good enough for him."

"So Edward thinks it's his fault they broke up while Bella not only thinks it's her fault, but also that she doesn't deserve Edward," Jasper summarized, shaking his head. "What a mess."

"We can't let them both be so miserable," Alice said. "We have to do something."

"I think it's my turn to come up with the plan," a familiar voice said from the doorway.

"Edward!" Alice jumped up and ran to Edward, throwing her arms around his neck.

Edward hugged his sister back and then walked into the living room with her. They joined Jasper on the couch and Edward looked around at his friends. "I appreciate everything you guys have done for me," he told them earnestly. "But I think if I want to prove myself to Bella, _I_ have to be the one to try to get her back." He paused. "Of course, I'll need all of your help to do that," he admitted.

"I'm in," Emmett said immediately.

"Me, too," Angela said, the others nodding and adding their support as well.

"Thanks," Edward said, a small smile on his face. "Okay, first and most importantly," he said, turning to Angela. "Angela, you know Bella best." He paused a moment and then got right to the point. "Do you think she still cares about me?"

"Absolutely," Angela said without hesitation. "That's not even the issue here."

"You think it's because she somehow blames herself and thinks she's protecting me by doing this."

Angela looked at him strangely. "How did you…?"

Edward flushed slightly. "I've kind of been sitting at the top of the stairs listening since you got here," he admitted.

Angela smiled. "Well, yes," she replied. "Bella said you were a 'wonderful guy' who deserves better than her. She thinks it's her fault for trusting Lauren so readily."

Edward shook his head. "I don't blame her, not in the slightest," he assured Angela. "And better than her? I can't even _imagine_ someone better than Bella. She's everything I have ever wanted. If anything, she's far more than I deserve, not the other way around."

"Okay, that's touching and all," Emmett said, breaking up the intense atmosphere of the room. "But what are we going to _do_ about it?"

Edward was silent for a few moments, deep in thought. "So Bella thinks this is what's best for me, right?" he said finally. "That this is what she needs to do to keep me from getting hurt again? That means I have to convince her that _she _is what's best for me, that she is the one I've been waiting for for so long."

Jasper hesitated a moment before he spoke. "Edward, did you ever, um, did you ever actually tell Bella how you feel about her?" he asked tentatively.

"You mean that I love her?" Edward asked.

Angela beamed and Alice fell back against Jasper with a happy sigh. Jasper smiled gently. "Yeah, that."

Edward shook his head. "But I do. I love her," Edward said, a determined expression on his face. "And now I need to let her know that."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Bella was in her bedroom trying to focus on the book she held in her hands. After being on the same page for over fifteen minutes, however, she finally gave up and dropped the book to the floor. Snatches of her meeting with Jasper and Emmett kept running through her mind, making it impossible for her to concentrate. She knew they had both only been trying to help and that they were honestly concerned about her, but they just didn't understand. Edward would be far better off without her.

As she lay there, she finally allowed herself to admit another reason this was for the best, a reason she had not even been able to say to Angela. She never would have been enough for Edward. She realized that now and knew that someday, Edward, too, would also see that. It was better, she told herself, to take the out she had been given and walk away now. Besides, it wasn't like Edward felt the way about her that she did about him. It wasn't like he was in love with her. He would get over this, just like she had told Angela and Emmett, and his life would go back to normal.

And it had been her fault in the first place, anyway. She had hurt him, she owed him this, she owed him his real life back. She cringed as she thought of Emmett's words about Edward blaming himself for her actions at the party. Contacting him to reassure him was out of the question. She only hoped that in time, he would realize that this had been her fault, not his. There was no apology in the world good enough for what she had put him through; staying away from him to protect him was the best she could do. Yes, it hurt, it hurt so badly it was almost a physical pain in her chest. But she deserved the pain. Edward didn't.

She had been right, this was the right decision. Nodding to herself, she reached over to her small stereo and turned on the radio.

_"Oh, lord, what can I say?_

_I'm so sad since you went away_

_Time, time ticking on me_

_Alone is the last place I wanted to be"_

Bella practically dove at the CD player and quickly shut it off. For a fleeting second, she wondered irrationally if her radio was possessed. She rolled her eyes at herself as she sat back on the bed. Okay, so maybe listening to the radio right now was out. Maybe it was time for her to get caught up on some of her chores. She had been neglecting a lot of things since Edward had first come into her life – it seemed now was as good a time as any to get caught up.

She stood up and surveyed her room. It was a little messier than usual, but nothing to be too concerned about. She grabbed a pair of sneakers lying on the floor next to her bed and carried them over to her closet. When she opened the door to her closet, she saw her laundry basket and realized she had almost two weeks' worth of dirty clothes sitting there. "Time to get to that before I run out of underwear," she muttered to herself, tossing the shoes into the closet and pulling out the basket.

Bella began to sort through the basket, tossing things into one of two piles on her bedroom floor. Towels, sheets, and the like went in one pile while everything else went in the other. She was nearly at the bottom of the basket when she pulled out a folded white square. She took it in two hands and shook it out, expecting to see a familiar shirt or pillowcase.

But as the item unfurled before her, she stopped short, a soft gasp escaping her lips. In her hands was a white button down shirt. It was the very same shirt she herself had been wearing when she had returned to her house after her night trapped in the Biology closet. It _was_ familiar. It also wasn't hers.

Bella stood frozen, staring at Edward's shirt as several different images invaded her mind at once. Her own fumbling as she tried to undo the buttons and get the shirt off of Edward in the Biology closet. Edward buttoning the shirt for her after she had pulled it on by mistake and telling her it looked better on her than it did on him. Edward laying it out on the floor so that she would not have to be cold lying on the bare floor the first time they had made love. Love.

She sat down heavily on her bed, the shirt still clutched in her hands. Almost without realizing what she was doing, Bella slowly raised the shirt up to her face and inhaled deeply. Edward's scent surrounded her, opening the floodgates on her memories of their brief time together.

The conversations they had had about their families, their plans for the future, the way they could talk about any and everything that came to mind. Taking a nap in her bed, wrapped in his arms that first day they were together. Their day in the meadow just talking and lying together in each other's arms. Edward kissing her on the swings at the park before his brothers had shown up to pick him up. Edward meeting her after every single class to walk her to her next one. Dancing with Edward in his bedroom, feeling accepted by his family while they ate dinner together or watched a movie. The feelings of safety and belonging she had felt waking up in Edward's arms. The incredible feeling of completion she had felt with their bodies joined together as they made love.

Bella hadn't even realized she was crying until she saw the tears splashing off of her hands and onto the shirt that she still held. This time, Bella didn't try to fight her emotions. As the bittersweet memories continued playing in her head, she allowed the tears to continue. As the tears turned into full blown sobs, she pulled the shirt to her, holding it tightly against her chest as she curled up on her bed. Eventually the tears stopped, leaving Bella both physically and emotionally spent. With Edward's shirt tucked under her cheek, she closed her eyes and fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

* * *

A few hours later, Bella was jerked from sleep by a sharp knock at her door. "Bells? Are you in there? Can I come in?" Charlie called through the door.

Bella was slightly disoriented for a moment, Edward's comforting scent still surrounding her and Charlie's voice sounding very far away. Seconds later, awareness set in and she hurriedly stuffed Edward's shirt under her pillow and sat up, running her hands down her face. "Yeah, come in," she called.

Charlie opened the door part way and poked his head in. "Hey," he said. "I was just gonna fix some dinner. Did you want anything?"

Dinner. Food. The grocery store. Shit. "Sorry, I didn't get to the store today," Bella mumbled, staring at her comforter while the lie slipped out. "I can make you something quick," she added, starting to get out of bed.

Charlie held up a hand. "Don't worry about it, Bells," he told her. "I'm just gonna heat up some soup and maybe make a sandwich. I'm beat and the Ms had an afternoon game in Texas so I think I'm just gonna turn in early." He looked at Bella closely. "Want me to bring you anything?"

Bella shook her head. "No, thanks. I just, um, I kinda have a headache. I think I'm just gonna try to get some sleep."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"Yeah, no, I'm fine, dad. Just need to get some sleep, I'm sure it'll be gone when I wake up."

Charlie didn't look entirely convinced but he didn't push. "Okay, get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart. Goodnight."

"Night, dad," Bella said, sliding back down on her bed as Charlie closed the door. When she heard his steps heading down the stairs, she sat back up in bed and pulled Edward's shirt from under her pillow.

As she looked down at it, Bella realized she didn't know what she should do with it. Should she wash it as she had originally promised and give it to Alice to give back to Edward? Or would he think she was a freak for still having it? Should she just get rid of it and hope Edward forgot that she ever had it in the first place? Maybe that was the best idea – just throw it out and hope everyone concerned forgot about it.

But as she stared at the shirt in her hands, Bella knew she would never be able to just throw it in the garbage.

Sighing heavily, she tucked the shirt under her bed before sagging back against her pillow once more. As a result of his shirt being pressed up against it, Edward's scent lingered on her pillow. Tired, upset, and still drained from the emotional nature of her day, Bella let the scent envelop her, allowing it to comfort her. Telling the logical part of her brain to leave her alone until tomorrow, Bella pulled her comforter up over herself and buried her face in the pillow, soon drifting off into the most peaceful slumber she'd had in over a week.

* * *

Late Thursday afternoon, Bella was up in her room working on an assignment for her Spanish class. She had had a decidedly more successful trip to the grocery store earlier that afternoon and was preparing to fix chicken enchiladas for dinner once she finished up the short essay Ms. Goff had given the class to write over the break.

Bella was writing the last paragraph of her paper when the phone next to her bed rang. After hesitating for a second, she leaned over and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Bella." Angela's familiar voice came over the line. "What are you up to?"

"Hey, Ang. I'm just finishing a paper for Ms. Goff."

"Ugh," Angela said. "I still have stuff I need to do but I've really been putting it off. I hate to think of break being over already, you know?"

Bella agreed. "So, quick question," Angela continued. "You're still going to the show on Saturday night, too, right?"

"What show?"

"The Frames concert in Port Angeles," Angela said patiently.

Bella was startled. "Oh. Well, um, I hadn't actually thought about it," she admitted. "Probably not." Then what Angela had said twigged. "Too? What do you mean? Are you going?" Bella was surprised – she hadn't realized Angela had known anything about the band beyond what Bella herself had told her. Besides, she knew the show was sold out. How had Angela gotten a ticket at the last minute like this? Unless…

"Alice asked me to come. She said they have an extra ticket now because Edward's not coming," Angela explained.

"Edward's not going?" Bella was surprised. "But, he loves The Frames."

"Yeah, but Alice said he's not really up for it or something so there's an extra ticket."

Bella sat back against her headboard as a rush of guilt almost overwhelmed her. She knew very well that she was the reason Edward wasn't up for attending a concert by his favorite band. She shut her eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, unconsciously mimicking Edward's expression of stress. She should be the one missing the concert, not Edward. Dimly, she realized Angela was still talking and she forced herself to focus on her friend's words.

"I don't actually know anything about this band," Angela was saying, "but I know you like them and I think it would be fun for all of us to hang out together."

"Oh." Bella hesitated. "I don't know. I mean, I really think Edward should be going. I don't want to ruin this for him, too."

"Alice said he already made other plans for that night," Angela replied, mentally crossing her fingers.

"Oh," Bella repeated hollowly.

"Bella, I know you've had a rough time lately. You told me you love this band and it'll be good to go out with your friends and just forget everything for a little while. Please?" Bella was silent.

"Come on, Alice has it all planned as a girls' night out," Angela persisted. "The four of us will drive to the concert together and then after it's over we'll all go back and spend the night at my house. Come on, Bella. It'll be fun."

"I'll think about it, okay, Ang?"

"Okay." Angela could tell that Bella was close to giving in and she left it there. "I need to go get to some of those readings I've been putting off. I'll call you later."

"Okay. Bye, Ang."

"Bye, Bella." Angela disconnected the call and then quickly punched in Alice's number. Time to let the plotting pixie know that her particular phase of the plan had been successfully completed.

"So?" demanded Alice, not even bothering to say hello.

"She said she'd think about it," Angela told her. "Knowing Bella, that means it won't take much more to convince her. You should have an easy time tomorrow."

"Excellent," Alice said, and Angela suddenly had a vision of Alice tapping her fingers together like Mr. Burns on _The Simpsons_.

"So, how is this going to work, exactly?" Angela asked, quickly pushing the strangely disturbing image from her mind. She had left the Cullens' house before Edward and his siblings had fully developed the plan and was still hazy on the details. "I mean, this concert is sold out, right? How did you guys suddenly get an extra ticket?"

"Ah, that's the beauty of it," Alice told her. "That part didn't even take any extra work. See, we originally got seven tickets for the show. Our parents love The Frames, too, so they were going to come. But then Edward and Bella got together and our mom was just so over the moon about it that she insisted Edward take her ticket and bring Bella instead."

"That's so nice of her."

"Yeah, my parents are awesome," Alice replied. "Plus, Bella doesn't know that there's an extra ticket because she never knew that she was taking mom's ticket in the first place. Edward never told her because he knew she'd feel bad about it and come up with an excuse not to come."

"Yeah, she probably would have," Angela agreed, a little surprised that Edward had known Bella so well so quickly. "I know she feels terrible about Edward supposedly not going to the concert because of her. She thinks she should skip it so that he can go."

Alice sighed dramatically. "She's really trying to make this hard, isn't she? Don't worry, I'll convince her tomorrow."

After getting to know the pixie over the past week, Angela had confidence in Alice's abilities and moved on to another topic. "So what is the plan for getting Bella there and getting her to talk to him and all that?"

Angela could hear the smile in Alice's voice. "Trust me, it's all figured out." Angela settled back on her bed as Alice launched into a lengthy detailed description of what she was calling "Operation Anti-Emo." It was nearly an hour later when the two finally got off the phone. Alice's confidence was contagious and Angela found she could hardly wait for Saturday to put the plan into full gear.

* * *

The chicken enchiladas and rice were a few minutes from being done when Charlie arrived home that evening. "Smells good in here, Bells," he called into the kitchen as he hung up his coat and gunbelt.

"Chicken enchiladas," Bella responded as Charlie walked into the kitchen with a curious look on his face.

"Sounds good," Charlie said happily. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, popping open the can and leaning against the counter across from the stove. "So, it looks like you might finally get some nice weather this weekend," he told her. "According to the news, it's supposed to be 'unseasonably warm.'"

"So we're talking double digits, then," Bella said.

Charlie could hear the faint undertone of teasing in her voice and he grinned, glad to hear his daughter sounding more like herself. "Something like that," he agreed.

"So what are your plans for this weekend heatwave?" Bella asked as she took a glass out of the cabinet.

"Well, Billy asked me to come out fishing this weekend," Charlie said.

"Sounds like fun," Bella said distractedly, pouring herself a glass of water.

"Yeah, but, well, I feel like I leave you alone too much, Bells," Charlie admitted. "I mean, that's, like, the third weekend in a row I'll have left you on your own."

Bella smiled half-heartedly at Charlie. "Ang just called and asked me to go to a concert with her in Port Angeles on Saturday night," she told him. "We're just gonna spend the night at her house after anyway, so I won't be alone all that much." Bella still wasn't entirely sure whether or not she wanted to go to the concert, but she certainly didn't want Charlie to stay home on her account. She also held back on mentioning Alice or Rose. She knew she was putting off the inevitable, but she'd still rather avoid telling Charlie about Edward for as long as possible and not have to deal with the awkwardness that would be sure to follow that news.

"Oh." Charlie visibly brightened.

"Yeah," Bella agreed, pulling out plates and silverware. "So don't worry about me, dad. Really. Go have fun with Billy. You never know when you'll get nice weather around here, you should take advantage of it," she added, scooping rice onto the plates.

"Okay, if you're sure," Charlie said.

"Absolutely," Bella said, pulling the enchiladas out of the oven and depositing two on each plate. Charlie grabbed some napkins and the two sat down for dinner. Dinner was a far more verbose affair than usual with Charlie telling Bella about a new fishing spot Billy had found while Bella found herself only half listening. The fact that he didn't even ask her what band was playing or remind her to bring her pepper spray was a testament to just how excited Charlie was about the weekend and Bella was glad she had convinced him she would be fine on her own. _At least I won't ruin __**his**__ weekend_.

* * *

The next morning, Bella was pulled from sleep by the sound of the doorbell. She had just decided to ignore it and hope the person went away when it rang again. And again. And again. And again. "All right!" she growled, throwing back the covers. "I'm coming."

Running a hand through her hair, she stumbled down the stairs, still half-asleep, and threw open the front door. "What do you- Alice?"

The pixie stood on Bella's front steps smiling up at her. "Hi, Bella," she said. "Can I come in?" Without waiting for an answer, she slipped past Bella and made her way into the kitchen.

Bella blinked in confusion a moment before shutting the door and following Alice into the kitchen. Alice was pouring herself a glass of orange juice when Bella entered the room and she looked up. "Want some?" she asked.

Bella nodded dazedly, wondering if she might possibly still be asleep and dreaming this whole odd scenario.

Alice handed Bella a glass of juice and took a seat at the kitchen table. Bella took a long swallow of juice, her mind finally clearing enough to form a full sentence. "Alice, what are you doing here?" She looked at the clock above the oven. "And why is it so early?"

Alice smiled. "Oh, Bella, it's not early," she said. "The sun's up, people are at work. If it wasn't for vacation, we'd all be in class right now. But anyway, the reason I'm here." She put down her glass and looked straight at Bella. "I wanted to apologize for the other night at the party," she said sincerely. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble or hurt anyone, I just wanted you guys to know the truth. And please don't be mad at Edward for it, either. He didn't know what I was planning. If you're mad at anyone, it should be me, and I'm really sorry-"

"Alice." Alice looked dangerously close to babbling and Bella cut her off. "I'm not mad at anyone, really," she said. "I appreciate you apologizing, but it's okay."

Alice smiled. "Thanks, Bella. And now, the other reason I'm here. I wanted to make sure you're still coming to the concert with us tomorrow night."

"Oh, Alice, I don't know," Bella began. "It doesn't feel right. I mean, I know how much Edward loves The Frames. He should be the one going, not me. I don't want to make him miss out just because I'm going."

Alice waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about Edward," she told Bella firmly. "He already has something else planned that night. If you don't come, it's just going to waste a ticket."

"Oh, you have to come!" Alice exclaimed as Bella opened her mouth to object. "Angela already agreed to take Edward's ticket and then you and Rose and Angela and I can all go together and have a girls' night. We can get ready here and have dinner before the show and then go back to Angela's and spend the night there. It'll be so much fun!"

"What about Jasper and Emmett?" Bella asked, stalling.

"Oh, they're just going to take Emmett's jeep up. We'll probably see them there but they have strict instructions not to interrupt girls' night. Besides, it's not like we don't see them every day anyway. A few hours apart isn't going to hurt anyone."

Bella grimaced. "I'm not sure Emmett and Jasper would want me around anyway," she told Alice. "I wasn't the nicest person in the world yesterday when I ran into them at the store."

"Don't worry about it," Alice said. "Jasper told me about that. They're just worried, Bella, about you and Edward. And Emmett's not always the best at expressing his concerns like a normal person. But they both care about you, no matter how clumsily Emmett might show it. Trust me."

Alice could see Bella was beginning to cave and she went in for the kill. "Please, Bella," she said. "It'll be so much fun just the four of us. And you don't want a ticket to a sold out show to go to waste, do you?" She turned pleading eyes on Bella and Bella felt her resolve crumble.

"Can I think about it at least?" she asked.

Alice smiled. "Of course." She returned her attention to her orange juice leaving Bella to her thoughts.

"I hope Emmett didn't offend you yesterday," Alice said a few minutes later, pulling Bella out of her reverie.

"What? Oh, no, of course not," Bella responded. "I know he's just worried about everyone." She paused a moment, biting her lip before she spoke again. "Alice, um," Bella stopped, unsure if this was a question she really had any business asking. Or even if it was a question she really _should_ be asking, but it had been bothering her since her conversation with Emmett and Jasper.

"Bella, you can ask me anything," Alice said, seemingly reading Bella's mind. "Anything at all, I promise."

Bella hesitated again before speaking. "Um, when I ran into Emmett and Jasper yesterday, Emmett said something about how the girls at school used to throw themselves at Edward but he wasn't interested in them and he didn't date anyone before me. I mean, that can't possibly be true…" She trailed off, blushing bright red as the words tumbled quickly from her mouth and she looked down at her feet, waiting for Alice to tell her it was none of her damn business.

But Alice only nodded. "Oh yeah," she said. "Rose and I used to worry a little about it, I'm not going to lie. All those girls used to throw themselves at Edward practically begging him to date them, no doubt promising all sorts of sexual favors. That skanky Lauren Mallory was the worst." She wrinkled her nose. "Fortunately, Edward's not like that. Rose and I were totally thrilled when you two finally got together. I mean, the guys were happy, too, don't get me wrong. But finally, Rose and I weren't outnumbered by the boys – we had a sister who we liked having around and who we were really looking forward to getting to know."

Bella cringed as the guilt consumed her once again. When would she stop hurting the people who cared about her? Looking back up at Alice, Bella quickly tried to change the subject. "Alice, I'm pretty sure Rose doesn't think of me like her sister," Bella said. "She only put up with me as a favor to you guys."

Alice smiled. "Oh, Bella. Of course she does," she told her. "We all do – me, Rose, Jasper, and Emmett." She paused a moment and Bella could almost see Alice's internal struggle before she spoke again.

"It may not be any of my business to tell you this, but I don't want you or Rose to lose out on each other's friendship here so I think you need to know this to understand where she's coming from. Rose is…complicated," she said slowly. "Believe it or not, she has not always had the easiest life. Her home life isn't all that great, which is one of the reasons she's always at my house.

"Rose grew up in California. When she was eight, her dad left her mom for a younger woman and her mom moved them up here into those McMansions over off of Seville in the same neighborhood where Jasper's family later bought a house. Her mom got a ton of money in the divorce and Rose's dad gave her an allowance until she turned 18 and could access her trust fund."

Alice paused a moment, taking a deep breath before she continued. "Rose's relationship with her mom sucks," she said flatly. "Her mom has never stopped blaming her for her dad leaving them – she says having Rose aged her, Rose was a difficult child and that drove her dad into the arms of another woman, blah blah blah. She's on about 20 different medications for her various 'ailments' and I know she drinks a whole lot."

"Rose has never really told us much beyond that and she's never given our parents any details whatsoever. In the beginning, they tried to ask her questions and offer help, but she would just shut down and shut us all out. It was so hard for her to trust us when we first met her," Alice continued. "Even as young as she was, she already had issues with trusting people and letting them in. Eventually, she became close to all of us, but it took awhile. It took even longer for her to trust my mom and dad but I could always tell how much she _wanted_ to trust them. She's been like a second daughter to them for years now and I know how much that means to her. All Rose ever wanted was a family, people who love her for who she is and her mom has never once given her that.

"She's never stopped trying with her mom, though; she's always trying to give her another chance to be the mother she never was to her. Regardless of how badly her mom has treated her over the years, Rose has this deep seated sense of loyalty to her family and she goes back to her house every few months or so to try again with her mom.

"Emmett went with her on one of these visits once, about two years ago. He was obviously upset when they came back, but neither one of them would talk about it. That night, I went to his room to see if he wanted to talk. He was sitting in his room crying about what had happened."

"God," Bella breathed. She felt her breath catch at the thought of what could be horrible enough to reduce the big, perpetually goofy Emmett to tears.

"Yeah. He was really upset. He said Rose's mom had been civil for about the first two minutes they were there before she started in on her. She called Rose all sorts of awful names and told her she would end up alone. She told Emmett that the divorce was Rose's fault and that Rose would eventually drive Emmett away because she was a heartless bitch who was incapable of loving or being loved. She told Rose that Emmett would leave her the second something better came along and that it would be all Rose's fault once again. And Emmett said the worst thing was that Rose just stood there and took it. She didn't fight back and he could see that on some level she was listening to her mom and believing the things she said. He dragged her out of there as soon as he could.

"I think Emmett was in shock, honestly. We all knew that Rose and her mom had a bad relationship, but no one knew it was like this. He couldn't believe anyone could treat Rose so badly or that Rose would take it over and over again. Emmett just wants to protect the people he loves and I know he would do absolutely anything in the world for Rose. But here, he felt like there was nothing he could do to help her. He felt totally helpless and that's not something Emmett's used to feeling."

Alice paused again and sighed. "I know it's not really my place to tell you all of this, but I thought you should know. I want you to understand why Rose is the way she is. She's been hurt and she's terrified of being hurt again. That's why she's always so careful about who she lets get close to her.

"Like I said, though, she is also fiercely loyal to the people she cares about, the people she considers her family. And whether you realize it or not, Rose considers you among that group. She was the first person to offer her help when I told the rest of them I was going to get to the bottom of the whole Lauren thing. And just because she didn't show it the way Emmett and I did, she was very happy for you and Edward."

Both girls were silent for a few moments while Bella processed what Alice had just told her.

"Anyway, the point of my whole long story is that Rose _does_ like you, Bella, and she really wants you to come with us tomorrow night. I know things didn't work out the way they could have, but that's no reason we can't all be friends. You, Angela, Rose, and I could have a great time together. In fact, I think we should all hang out today. Let's go see a movie or rent one at someone's house. Oooh!" Alice stopped, clapping her hands. "We should go shopping! It'll be fun – a small scale event get us ready for tomorrow night and the amazing time we're going to have at the concert!"

Edward had been right, Bella realized with a pang of melancholy. Alice really _was_ a force of nature sometimes and her head was spinning slightly from the way Alice bounced from one subject to another without taking a breath. Despite herself, however, Bella found that the pixie girl's enthusiasm was infectious and she couldn't help smiling at her friend. "You're right, Alice," she said. "There's no reason we shouldn't all hang out together. I'm in for something today and the concert tomorrow, too."

Alice squealed and threw her arms around Bella. "Oh, we are going to have _such_ a good time tomorrow night! And I know that the four of us together are going to be a force to be reckoned with in this little town."

Bella giggled. "Forks never had a chance," she said solemnly.

"Exactly! Okay, you go shower and get dressed. I'm going to run home and get Rose. I'll call Angela and pick her up on my way back here and we can go." She kissed Bella on the cheek and then practically danced out of the house. "See you later, Bella!" she called over her shoulder as the door closed behind her.

* * *

Three hours later, Bella was feeling lucky to be alive. Alice had dragged them across the Canadian border into Victoria to go shopping at the Victoria Mall. Bella wasn't entirely sure how long the drive was normally supposed to take, but she was pretty sure it wasn't as quickly as Alice had gotten them there. The only time she hadn't had to studiously avoid looking at the speedometer or out the window had been when they were on the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria. It seemed talking wasn't the only thing the pixie girl liked to do fast.

Now she stood in the middle of Le Chateau while Alice bounced around the store, picking up shirts, skirts, and other clothing seemingly at random. "Does she even know what she's holding?" Bella asked Rose.

Rose grinned. "It doesn't look like it, does it? But she always manages to grab the right size and put together these incredible outfits."

"I know, it's amazing," Angela said from the other side of Rose. "That outfit she found me in the last store we were in? I would have sworn she found it with her eyes closed. But then I put it on and not only is it the right size, but it looks terrific."

Bella agreed, thinking back to the clothes Alice had practically been throwing at them all since they had first arrived at the mall. Alice danced back over to where the girls were standing, her arms loaded down with clothes of various sizes and colors.

"Oooh, Bella, how about this shirt?" Alice said, pointing at a deep blue sleeveless top on a mannequin. "Edward always said you looked great in blue."

Bella felt a pang as she remembered Edward kissing her in her kitchen and telling her the color looked wonderful on her. She smiled wistfully, her expression suddenly far away.

The three girls exchanged a look and Alice winked before they quickly turned their attention to another shirt that Rose had found for herself. "Edward always said you looked great in blue?" Rose murmured skeptically to Alice. "Really? That was the best you could come up with?"

"Hey, I'm trying," Alice said defensively. "Besides, look at her. We all know who she's thinking about right now with that smile on her face."

The three glanced back at Bella who was still staring at the shirt with a small smile on her face. "All right, fine," Rose said. "But can we at least _try_ to be a little more subtle with this? I don't want to start laughing and ruin the whole thing."

"All right, we'll try for more subtle from now on," Alice agreed. "Happy?"

Rose nodded shortly before she turned back to Bella. "Hey, Bella," she called to her. "We're gonna go try stuff on. You coming?"

Bella pulled herself from her daze and nodded, quickly finding her size in the blue shirt on a rack next to the mannequin and following after the girls to the fitting rooms.

After the girls had purchased their selected clothing, Alice led the way to another store nearby. Bella gulped when Alice stopped in front of the lingerie store La Senza. "Um, Alice, I don't really need anything in here," Bella said. "I think I'll just go over to HMV and look around while you guys are in there."

"Silly Bella," Alice said, looping her arm through Bella's. "You _always_ need cute underwear," she insisted, dragging Bella into the store with her, Rose and Angela following behind.

Alice dragged Bella over to a display that showed a matching bra and boy short set made from a delicate lace. With a little gasp of excitement, she picked up a deep blue bra and matching panties and turned to Bella. "Bella, you need to get this!" the small girl said excitedly. "It's so cute and this blue is totally your color."

Bella looked at the underwear set in Alice's hand doubtfully. "Um, it's not really something I would normally wear, Alice," she began, thinking of her far more comfortable looking and less matching bras and panties at home.

Alice waved a hand dismissively. "They're totally comfortable," she assured Bella. "And sexy underwear always tends to make you _feel_ sexy. I have it in black, Rose has it in red."

Blushing, Bella looked over to Angela for help, but her friend only shrugged. "I have it in purple," she admitted.

"Come on," Alice insisted. "You can wear it tomorrow night!"

Bella shot a desperate look at the other two as Alice practically skipped toward the dressing room and Rose grinned at her. "I'd advise wearing it," she told Bella. "Alice has been known to check." Resigned to her fate, Bella followed after the excited pixie, wondering briefly just how her friend had known her bra size.

After La Senza, the girls decided to take a break and get lunch at the food court. They found a table in the middle and dove into their food, each one having worked up quite an appetite on their shopping excursion thus far.

When Alice was finished, she leaned back and began to critique the outfits she saw on people walking by. "That guy's kind of cute," she said, gesturing with her head toward a blond on the other side of the food court. "I really like his shirt, too."

The other girls giggled. It seemed Alice's fashion obsession knew no bounds. "Why Alice Cullen," Angela said, pretending to be shocked. "What if Jasper heard you say that?"

Alice waved her hand dismissively. "Jazz has nothing to worry about and he knows it," she responded. "As far as I'm concerned, there is no more perfect man on earth."

"Really?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking looks or overall?"

"Well, of course I think he's the most perfect man on the planet overall," Alice said. "But we were just talking about looks, right? I don't know, maybe it's just something about being in love. When you're in love with someone, to you they are the most gorgeous person in the world. Even if he was the world's worst dresser, it still wouldn't matter to me because I love him."

Rose and Angela pretended to gasp in shock. "You wouldn't care what he wore? I'd love to see him test that theory," Rose said.

"It's true," Alice said, pausing briefly to make a face at Rose. "And it doesn't matter if Christian Bale or Jensen Ackles was standing in front of me – I'd never pick them over Jasper because to me, he is the most gorgeous man in the world, no matter what anyone else says."

"Well, it doesn't hurt that he's not exactly hard on the eyes," Rose teased.

Alice smiled. "No. But even if didn't look the way he does, I'd still know there was no one more beautiful out there because I love him and in my eyes, that makes him perfect. And I know that despite my faults and flaws, even if I'm feeling down on myself, he feels the same way about me."

Angela smiled while Bella once again seemed to be on another planet entirely. The other girls exchanged a look, hoping that their once again not so subtle message had gotten across.

"Okay, you guys ready to continue?" Alice asked, standing up and picking up her tray from the table.

Rose rolled her eyes. "I don't know where you get all of this energy, Alice, but if I could bottle it, we'd all be rich."

Alice stuck her tongue out at Rose and turned to Bella. "Bella? Ready to go?"

Bella looked up from her tray. "Um, yeah, sure," she said, standing and following Alice to the garbage with her own empty tray.

"So what are you wearing tomorrow night, Bella?" Alice asked as the girls threw out the remains of their lunches.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it," she admitted.

"Well, what do you normally wear to a concert?" Alice asked.

"Normally? Jeans, chucks, a t-shirt and a hoodie," Bella replied.

Alice looked horrified a moment before she smiled innocently up at Bella. "Bel-la," she said, her tone cajoling.

Bella was instantly on her guard. "Yes?" she replied cautiously.

"Will you let me pick your clothes for the concert? Please please please!" Alice begged, giving Bella her patented puppy dog eyes when Bella opened her mouth to object.

Bella looked over at Rose and Angela but they just smiled, nodding at Bella encouragingly. Bella sighed, knowing she had no chance of winning this discussion. "All right," Bella finally said. "But, on three conditions," she added, holding up a hand as Alice clapped her hands excitedly. "One, no heels of any kind. I am clumsy enough in bare feet and if I'm going to be standing for a few hours, I want to be focusing on the band, not on keeping from killing myself. Two, nothing too revealing. I am not going to be one of those skanky girls at concerts who looks like she's there only to attempt to get with the band after the show. And three, I want to be in pants, not a skirt. I hate it when girls wear skirts to concerts and I want to be comfortable."

Alice nodded solemnly. "I accept your conditions," she told Bella. Then her face broke out in an enormous grin. "Come on, let's go! There are so many stores we haven't even been to yet!"

As Alice grabbed Bella's arm and practically dragged her off, Bella wondered fleetingly if she hadn't just made the biggest mistake of her life.

* * *

"Bella, wake up." Bella heard a voice softly calling her name and she struggled to open her eyes.

"What's going on?" she mumbled as her eyes opened.

Angela smiled at her from her seat next to her in the back of Alice's car. "We're home, Bella," she said gently. "You fell asleep."

Bella sat up fully and looked around to see Rose and Alice smiling at her from the front seat. "Oh. Sorry about that," she mumbled. Her head cleared and she froze, remembering what she had been dreaming about. Edward. "I didn't, um, I didn't _say _anything while I was asleep, did I?" she asked nervously.

The other girls shook their head. "What do you mean?" Alice asked innocently. She and the other girls had in fact heard Bella say Edward's name several times while she was asleep but she decided that if Bella's subconscious was already working in their favor, they didn't need to push it any further.

"Nothing," Bella muttered, unbuckling her seatbelt.

Alice climbed out of the car with Bella after popping the trunk. "Don't forget your stuff, Bella," she said brightly, handing Bella several bags stuffed with clothing. Bella was pretty sure she hadn't bought that much but she was too tired to argue.

"Thanks, Alice," she said tiredly. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said goodnight to the other girls and then made her way into her house.

Bella dropped her armload of bags on the couch in the living room before stumbling into the kitchen to grab something for dinner. Halfway there, she decided she was just too tired to even think about fixing something for dinner. Turning to the stairs instead, she dragged herself upstairs, washing her face and brushing her teeth in the bathroom before trudging into her own room.

_Edward wasn't kidding about Alice's marathon shopping trips_, Bella thought to herself as she collapsed on her bed. Edward. She felt the familiar pang in her chest as she recalled her dreams of him on the drive home. Dreams where everything was different and they were happy together. Sighing sadly, she reached a hand under the bed, reaching around until she found his shirt where she had left it on Wednesday night. She brought it back up to the bed and held it to her chest, allowing Edward's comforting scent to surround her. Moments later, she was sound asleep.

* * *

Bella was pulled from sleep the next day by the phone next to her bed ringing. Reaching one hand over, she fumbled around until she grasped the phone and pulled it to her ear. "Hello?" she mumbled.

"Hey, Bella," Angela said. "Did I wake you up?"

"Yeah, but it's okay. What time is it anyway?" Bella said, pulling her face from her pillow and sitting up. "12:30!" she exclaimed.

Angela giggled. "Sounds like Alice's shopping trip took it out of you, too," she responded. "I only got up about an hour ago. I think my mom was starting to worry."

Bella smiled, leaning back against her pillows. "I don't know where she gets her energy," she said, echoing Rose's words from the day before.

Angela agreed. "That's why I'm calling. I figured you were too out of it last night to remember the plan for today. Rose and Alice are going to pick me up and bring me to your house to get ready for tonight. Alice said they'll pick me up at 2:00."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm not even going to ask why we need over four hours to get ready. I have a really bad feeling it has something to do with me."

Angela giggled again. "Well, I think it's for all of us, really. But Alice did say that you should wait to shower until she got there so Rose can do your hair or dry your hair or something."

Bella groaned. "All right. Thanks, Ang. I think I'm gonna go eat something. I was too tired when I got home last night. You guys can just let yourselves in when you get here, okay?"

"Okay. See you soon."

"Bye, Ang."

Bella headed downstairs to the kitchen to make herself some lunch. After retrieving the newspaper from the front step, she settled down at the kitchen table with her grilled cheese and soup, thumbing idly through the paper while she ate. When she finished, it was already after 1:00 so she washed her dishes and headed upstairs to get dressed before her friends arrived.

Bella looked around her room as she pulled on jeans and an old t-shirt and realized that she should probably clean it up a little bit before anyone other than her father saw it. She dumped her laundry in the basket in the closet, cleaned up her papers and books for school, and made her bed, tucking Edward's shirt beneath her pillows where she figured it had the least chance of being seen by anyone else.

She was just finishing straightening up her room when she heard voices downstairs. "Bella!" Alice called out. "We're here!"

"I'm up here," Bella called back.

Three sets of footsteps made their way up the stairs and seconds later Alice, Rose, and Angela were in her bedroom. The three girls were laden down with bags and Bella belatedly remembered that she had left everything from the shopping trip the day before on the couch downstairs.

"Bella, what is this?" Alice said. "You left these downstairs? They could be a million wrinkles by now!" She grabbed the bags from the other girls and began pulling out the clothing, laying it out on Bella's bed. When she was satisfied that nothing had suffered irreparable damage, she turned back to Bella with an accusing look on her face.

"Sorry, Alice," Bella said. "I was kind of on autopilot when I got home last night. I guess I just kind of left them where I dropped them."

"Give her a break, Alice," Rose said, "She's a first timer to the Alice world of shopping. Not all of us have the stamina that you do."

Alice pursed her lips but acquiesced with a short nod. "All right, well, time to get to work, then," she said briskly. She picked up the lacy blue bra and boy short set from La Senza and handed it to Bella. "Bella, you go shower. Rose, Angela, and I will figure out hair, outfit, and makeup. Then Angela can shower and Rose and I will do your hair and makeup. Rose and I showered before we came," she said, anticipating the question that was about to come from Bella.

Bella looked over to Rose and the blonde shrugged. "We've been up for a couple hours. I've had several years to get used to Alice shopping trips so it doesn't take it out of me as much."

Bella gave a long suffering sigh before turning and walking down the hall to the bathroom. "Ooh, Bella, wait," Alice called, coming up behind Bella in the hall.

"What's up, Alice?" Bella said, turning to face the pixie.

Alice shoved Bella's shower caddy at her. "Don't forget to shave."

"What?"

The pixie put her hands on her hips. "Bella, the underwear can only do so much," she said seriously. "It's very difficult to feel sexy with hairy legs."

Bella could only stare while her friend talked as if she was making a completely normal statement. With a nod, Alice turned and walked back into Bella's bedroom, leaving Bella gaping after her. After a moment, Bella shook herself and continued into the bathroom. She momentarily considered ignoring Alice's last instruction, but decided it was probably in her best interest to listen to her, especially considering Rosalie's warning the day before about Alice checking to make sure her instructions were followed. Shuddering, Bella turned on the shower and climbed in.

While Bella showered, the other girls hung out in her bedroom. Rose pulled out her blow dryer and curling iron and then she and Angela turned their attention to Alice's enormous makeup kit. Alice had already picked out Bella's outfit for the concert the day before so she set about putting away all of the rest of Bella's new clothes, leaving her new outfit hidden in a bag for the moment.

When all the clothes had been hung up or folded, Alice dropped back onto Bella's bed. She sighed and stretched, trying to picture in her mind the look she wanted to give Bella for that night. Her hand brushed something underneath Bella's pillow and, curious, she pulled out the fabric to see what it was. At first glance, it appeared to be a completely innocent white button down shirt. Then Alice looked at the label.

"Oh my God!" she gasped.

"What, what's wrong?" Angela asked worriedly.

"Do you know what this is?" Alice asked the other girls, holding it out for their observation. "This is Edward's shirt!"

"Are you sure?" Rose asked skeptically. "It looks like a regular white button down shirt. Maybe her dad's laundry got mixed in with hers."

Alice shook her head. "No, I'm absolutely positive. Look at the label. This is one of those shirts I bought for Edward last summer when Jazz and I were in Paris."

"Must've been laundry day," Rose cracked.

Angela looked slightly lost and Alice explained. "Edward likes to torment me by refusing to wear a lot of the stuff I buy him. He's my brother, I want him to look good. But he takes one look at a designer tag and tosses it on the floor of his closet!"

Rose laughed. "I don't think he actually does it to torment you, Alice," she told her friend. "I think he honestly either just doesn't think about it or doesn't care. Edward's always been more of a comfort first guy."

"Another reason he's perfect for Bella," Angela said.

"Yes, but would it kill either one of them to take my advice every once in awhile?" Alice wailed. "I'm only trying to do what's best for the people I love." She looked honestly pained and Rose and Angela couldn't help bursting into giggles.

Alice made a face at them and pulled out her phone. "I need to let Edward know about this," she said, sending off a quick text message to her brother.

"Shh, you guys, I think the shower's off," Angela whispered suddenly. The other girls listened and realized that they, too, could no longer hear the running water.

"Quick, get rid of the shirt!" Rose hissed.

Alice shoved Edward's shirt back under Bella's pillow and bounced over to Bella's closet. When Bella entered the room in her robe, Alice was pawing through her closet while Rose and Angela continued to look through Alice's makeup kit, Rose telling Angela what colors she thought would look best on her.

"Hey, Bella," Rose said casually.

Angela looked up. "Okay, well I know you guys want to work your magic on Bella," she said with a grin. "So I'm just going to take my shower now if that's okay."

Alice nodded. "But we will definitely need your opinion on the final hair and makeup and Rose wants to do your makeup, too, so don't be too long," she instructed. Angela saluted with a giggle and made her way down the hall to the bathroom.

Alice bounded over to Bella and took her by the hand, leading her over to her desk chair. "Sit," she told her. Bella obediently sat, hoping that if she just played along, the torture would be over faster. "Rose is going to do your hair and after she is done with that, I am going to do your makeup. Then we're all going to finish getting ready while you get dressed. But you are not allowed to look until everything is finished, understood?"

Bella nodded in defeat and Rose giggled. "Bella, you look like you're on your way to a funeral, not a concert. I promise it won't be that bad, okay?" Bella nodded but she still didn't look convinced and Rose smiled, turning on the hairdryer. "Trust me."

What seemed like hours later to Bella, Alice finally announced that she was done. In between drying and curling Bella's hair and doing her makeup, Alice and Rose had done their own hair and makeup as well as Angela's, and the three girls had also already gotten dressed. Alice laid Bella's concert outfit out on the bed and the girls left Bella in her room to get changed while they waited outside.

Bella had to admit she was a little apprehensive about seeing what Alice had chosen for her to wear to the concert. She knew she wouldn't be allowed to wear her normal concert attire and she just hoped Alice hadn't gone too overboard. She looked at the outfit laid out on the bed and let out a small sigh of relief before pulling on the clothing. Alice had chosen a deep blue short sleeved shirt with a scoop neck and fluttery cap sleeves that just covered her shoulders. She had combined that with a pair of dark skinny jeans and ballet flats that matched the shirt perfectly.

Bella put on a pair of hoop earrings and then took a deep breath before stepping up to the mirror on the back of her door. She couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her lips at the sight that met her eyes. The clothes fit like they were made for her, the jeans hugging her curves in all the right places and the color of the shirt setting off her skin. Rose had curled Bella's hair loosely and it hung in soft waves around her face and past her shoulders. The makeup Alice had so carefully applied was perfect – the eye make up made her brown eyes look enormous, her eyelashes were thick and long, and her porcelain skin appeared almost luminescent.

Bella was pulled from her self-appraisal by a knock on the door. "Bella? Are you dressed?" Alice called.

"Yeah, I'm ready, Alice. You guys can come in."

Alice opened the door and she, Rose, and Angela walked into the room. "Oh Bella," Alice squealed, clapping her hands. "You look gorgeous!"

Bella blushed and looked to Rose and Angela who were smiling broadly at her. "You look beautiful, Bella," Angela said sincerely.

"Definitely hot," Rose agreed. "You'll be fighting the boys off with a stick at the concert."

Bella's face fell momentarily as she thought of the only guy she wanted to share this concert with. Alice saw the expression on her friend's face and she spoke up quickly. "I think this means we're all ready to go, right?" Alice said.

"I'm set," Angela agreed.

"Me, too," Rose said.

Bella pulled herself from her pensive thoughts and forced a smile back to her face. "Yep, I am, too," she said, picking up the overnight bag sitting on her bed.

"Then I think we should get going," Alice said. "This way we can take our time at dinner before the show."

The girls grabbed jackets and purses and headed downstairs where they exited the house, Bella at the back of the group so she could lock up behind them. She swung her bag up on her shoulder and turned around, stopping dead in her tracks. "What is _that_?" she said, staring at the gorgeous shiny red convertible sitting in her driveway.

"My M3," Rosalie said casually.

Bella looked at her blankly and Alice giggled. "It's a BMW and it's Rosalie's baby," she informed Bella. "It's also very fast – we'll be in Port Angeles in no time."

Shaking her head in amazement, Bella walked over to the car where Rose took her overnight bag from her and tossed it in the trunk. She unlocked the doors and the four girls climbed into the car.

"All right, top up," Alice announced as the girls buckled their seatbelts. Rose gave her a look but Alice was firm. "You spent all that time on Bella's hair," she replied. "I am not going to let your good work go to waste." Rose grudgingly agreed and pressed a button on the console, automatically putting the top up.

"Everyone ready?" Rose asked. When the other girls answered in the affirmative, Rose peeled out of Bella's driveway. "Port Angeles, here we come."

* * *

"That guy is totally checking you out, Bella," Alice said, not looking up from the slice of pizza she was currently eating. The girls were sitting at a table in Michael's sharing three large pizzas among the four of them. Bella had been surprised when Alice had ordered the food, wondering if Emmett and Jasper would be joining them after all. However, to the surprise of both Angela and Bella, Alice had devoured three pieces almost immediately.

"Playing Barbie takes a lot of energy," Rose had teased by way of explanation.

Bella rolled her eyes even as she blushed at Alice's words. "Sure, Alice," she said, taking a long drink of her soda.

"It's like Rose said," Alice continued, undeterred. "Beating them off with a stick."

Only Angela caught the sadness in Bella's eyes and she quickly changed the subject. "How are we doing on time?"

Rose glanced at her watch. "We're good. Probably want to leave in the next fifteen minutes or so, but no rush – the venue's right up the street."

The girls lingered over their food a little while longer before finally signaling the waiter for their check. Alice insisted on paying, telling Bella she could buy her a soda at the concert if she wanted to pay her back. Muttering something about stubborn, evil pixies, Bella stood with the others and collected her jacket and bag before they all headed outside. The girls decided to leave their jackets and bags in Rose's car during the show and made a quick detour to the M3 before finally making their way to the club.

The girls gave the bouncer in the lobby their tickets and entered the crowded venue. "Perfect timing," Alice said, her eyes quickly scanning the crowd. "The other band just finished so people will be going for drinks and bathroom breaks. Now we can get a really good spot up close to the stage." She grabbed Bella by the hand and began dragging her through the oncoming crowd, gracefully dodging drunk concert goers and guys whose looks were just a little too friendly for Bella's taste.

Alice finally found a spot to her liking right in front of the stage, slightly left of center. "Perfect," she said happily as Angela and Rose joined them. The four girls talked about the upcoming concert and past Frames shows Alice and Rose had been to while around them the crowd began to grow. Alice was in the middle of a sentence when her attention suddenly shifted to a spot over Bella's shoulder and she smiled, waving her hand furiously.

Moments later, Jasper and Emmett had joined the girls. After saying their hellos to everyone, Alice engaged Jasper, Rose, and Angela in conversation and Emmett turned to Bella, his expression contrite.

"Bella, I'm sorry about what I said at the store the other day. I didn't mean to be such an ass. I know it's none of my business, I was just worried about both of you."

"It's okay, Emmett," Bella said honestly. "I understand."

"Friends?"

Bella smiled. "Of course, Emmett." Emmett smiled back and gave her a quick hug.

"Okay, time for you guys to go," Alice announced. "Show's about to start."

"Aw, Alice," Emmett whined.

"No," Alice said firmly. "You know this is girls' night. We will see you guys later, okay?" She leaned up and kissed Jasper. "Bye, Jazz."

"Fine," Emmett pouted. He kissed Rosalie then he and Jasper said goodbye to the other girls before they turned and made their way back the way they had originally come through the crowd.

Just as the boys had disappeared from sight, the lights went down and Alice squealed, bouncing up and down. Despite her reservations about Edward, Bella felt an excited tingling in her stomach as the crowd began roaring and the band took the stage. They immediately launched into "Pavement," one of Bella's favorite faster songs by them, and within seconds she, too, was screaming and singing along with the rest of the crowd. Next to her, Alice grabbed her hand and squeezed and the two girls shared a smile.

"Thanks for talking me into it," Bella screamed into Alice's ear. Alice grinned back and nodded before turning her attention back to the stage.

The band members introduced themselves after the first song and between songs the lead singer told stories about the songs they were playing or just generally interacted with the audience. They had performed six or seven songs in this manner when the mood onstage seemed to shift slightly. The lights dimmed and the lead singer changed up his electric guitar for an acoustic before stepping up to the mic again.

"This next song is for a mate of mine who's lost his girl. He doesn't want to embarrass her but he needs her to know how much he cares." The drummer counted off and Bella gasped audibly as she recognized the opening notes of "Your Face," goosebumps rising on her bare arms.

"_I was thinking about your face_

_Rolling up the river_

_I was worried what you thought_

_And I'm sorry if I can't remember_

_But there's no time for crying_

_Only time for trying now_

_I remember your name_

'_Cause you sang it to me often_

_I was lying down beside_

_The river where we met_

_And now your face is hiding something_

_Something, it's burning_

_And I'm gonna wait for you_

_I've got to send this tape to you_

_And I'm gonna wait for you_

'_Cause I know something about you_

_Something about the things you do_

_Something about your voice_

_That reams in the big stars_

_It reams in the big stars"  
_

Bella felt Alice's hands on her shoulders gently turning her around. Tears filled her eyes when she saw Edward standing in front of her, holding a hand out to her. "May I have this dance?" She nodded wordlessly, taking his hand. Edward's arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and Bella allowed herself to relax into his embrace, reveling in the feeling of belonging that enveloped her.

_"__There's a road that follows everywhere you go_

_I stole your golden chaser_

_But I never meant to steal_

_It's not in my nature_

_But if you try again I'll fall_

_And if you want to save it all_

_Then all you have to do is give_

_Give me that look again_

_Give me that look"  
_

Bella could hear Edward whispering the words along with the lead singer, his head resting lightly on hers, and in that moment she lost the struggle against the tears in her eyes.

"'_Cause I'm gonna wait for you_

_Got to send this tape to you_

_And I'm gonna wait for you_

_And I'm gonna wait for you"_

She was only vaguely aware of the fact that Jasper and Emmett had rejoined the group and their five friends had formed a small protective circle around them so they would be able to dance uninterrupted. As the last sweet notes faded away and the audience clapped and cheered, Edward pulled back slightly and took Bella's hands in his. "Can we talk?" he asked her quietly. Unable to trust her voice, Bella nodded silently and fell into step beside Edward as he led her from the main room.

They entered a small hallway on one side of the building and Edward opened a door and turned on the light, gesturing for Bella to enter before him. "Don't worry, it's okay that we're in here," he reassured her, seeing the uncertain look on her face. "I checked ahead of time. One of the owners is a friend of my mom's."Bella couldn't help the small smile that quickly crossed her face and she entered the room, Edward following and shutting the door behind them.

Edward turned to face Bella, his posture tense and his expression slightly apprehensive. He opened his mouth to speak, but Bella beat him to it.

"I can't believe you would even want to talk to me," she said quietly. "After everything I said and did to you, after how much I hurt you…"

She trailed off and Edward smiled gently at her. "None of that was your fault, Bella. I know you were just trying to do what you thought was best. I don't blame you for anything that's happened."

"But you should," Bella surprised herself by saying. "You should blame me and never want to see me again. Don't you see? It will make it so much easier to go back to your life the way it was before I showed up and screwed everything up."

Edward's expression became troubled. "Bella, I don't _want_ to go back to my life the way it was, my life without you." He shook his head. "And you certainly didn't screw anything up."

He paused a moment and took a deep breath. "If you want me to, I will go away and never bother you again after this. But will you please allow me to say something first?" Bella nodded and Edward smiled briefly before continuing.

"The truth is, before you, Bella, there was never anyone for me. Friends wanted to set me up, girls asked me to dances, but I don't know, I just wasn't interested. I mean, sure, I saw how happy Emmett and Rose and Jasper and Alice were together, but I just never saw the point. None of the girls at school ever had the affect on me that those guys had on each other. I really didn't understand how they could all feel so completed by this one other person. But when you came to Forks, Bella, I think I started to understand. And after we were trapped in the closet and started spending time together, everything changed for me.

"I finally understood. Why Rosalie puts up with Emmett when he's being gross or making stupid jokes, why Emmett gets that look on his face sometimes when he sees Rose like he can't quite believe she chose him. Why Alice will suddenly start giggling for no reason, why Jasper gets this little smile on his face even when Alice isn't around. Why my parents always have to be touching, even if it's totally unconscious on their part."

"I got it because suddenly, for the first time in my life, I was right there with them. That time that I spent with you was the best time of my life, Bella. I've never been as happy as I was when I was with you. And I don't give a damn what anybody else thinks or says," Edward said passionately. "All that matters to me is being with you. I love you, Bella."

Bella gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Bella." Edward moved toward her but she stepped back, holding up a hand to keep him back. Edward froze, bowing his head. It seemed Angela and his family had been wrong about Bella's feelings for him after all. "I'm sorry," he said miserably. "I just, I wanted you to know. It was selfish and all I've done is hurt you again. God, I am so sorry, Bella. I'll go get Alice to take you home." His tone, so full of self-loathing, snapped Bella back to reality, stopping her tears instantly.

"No, Edward, please wait," she said even as he turned toward the door. He slowly turned back to face her, the faintest light of hope beginning to shine in his eyes.

"Edward, I am so sorry for everything that I have done to you," Bella began. "I shouldn't have believed Lauren in the first place, especially when you had never given me any reason to doubt you. It's no excuse, but I think it was really me I was doubting, not you." Edward looked slightly puzzled and Bella sighed. "It never made any sense to me – or probably anyone else who saw us together," she added with a grimace, "why someone like you would want to be with someone like me. As happy as I was with you, I still couldn't understand why you chose me."

"Bella, I wish I could make you see yourself the way I see you," Edward said, his face troubled once more. "The way most of the male population of Forks sees you. Trust me, I was on the receiving end of quite a bit of male jealousy the week we were together. Guys may express it differently than girls, but it was certainly there.

"But that's not what's important anyway," he continued impatiently. "Like I said, I could care less what anyone else thinks or says or does. What _is_ important is you and how I feel about you. Bella, like I said that first day, you are the smartest, most beautiful and amazing girl I have ever known. I feel like I can talk to you about anything and everything and I love that you're not afraid to be silly and be yourself with me. You're funny and compassionate and more than I deserve and I feel like a piece of me is missing when you're not around. And I know I'm the luckiest guy in the world because, for a little while at least, I had you in my life."

Bella's eyes were pained and had begun to fill with tears again. "I think I'm the lucky, undeserving one," she said quietly. "I was just trying to do what I thought was best for you and I made a huge mess of it. As far as I'm concerned, there is no apology in the world good enough for what I've put you through. I don't know how you can possibly forgive me when I don't know if I can forgive myself."

Edward smiled gently. "Because that's what you do when you love someone."

A choked sob escaped from Bella's throat and Edward touched her arm. "Bella?" he asked worriedly.

"You are the most wonderful person I have ever known, Edward Cullen," Bella said, tears once again sliding down her cheeks. "You're sweet and smart and funny. You take care of me, which no one has ever done before, and I'm miserable when you're not around." She stopped and shook her head. "I spent so much time convincing myself that it wouldn't work, that we weren't right for each other and it was better for everyone if we were apart, that I didn't even stop to consider the most important thing in this whole equation." She looked up at him, smiling brilliantly. "I love you, Edward. So much. And I don't want to go back to my life before you either."

"Really?" Edward choked out.

"Really. I love you," she repeated. "More than anything."

"I love you, too," Edward said, sweeping her into his arms and holding her close. "And I'm never going to stop," he murmured into her hair.

Bella pulled back slightly to look up into his eyes. "Good," she said simply before leaning up to meet his lips with her own. The kiss was tender, their lips moving softly together even as they held onto the other tightly, never wanting to let go again.

Eventually they parted, their hands immediately clasping together. "Maybe we should get back," Edward suggested. "We'll have plenty of time later – I think the girls' night sleepover has officially been moved to my house."

Bella stared at him. "You mean you-"

"Planned this? Yes. Though I did have some help," Edward admitted.

Bella smiled, leaning her head against Edward's shoulder for a moment. "I'm glad."

Alice was the first to see them walking back toward the group hand in hand and she launched herself at Bella, wrapping her arms and legs around her as she squealed excitedly. Only Edward's steadying hand at Bella's back kept the two girls from ending up flat on the floor.

"I'm never going to trust you again, Alice Cullen," Bella teased, beaming.

"I know!" Alice replied joyfully. "And I'm not sorry one bit!"

The two girls hugged each other tightly before Alice finally set her feet back on the floor. Bella turned back to Edward, but before she could take his hand once more, Emmett had scooped her up in his arms. "You're back for real, right, little sis?" he asked.

Bella turned to Edward and the two smiled happily at each other. "I'm back for _good_, Emmett," Bella confirmed. Emmett whooped and swung Bella in a small circle, narrowly avoiding other concert goers, before he set her down to be hugged by Rose, Jasper, and Angela.

Edward finally stepped forward and took Bella's hand, pulling her free from the others. She smiled at him and they slipped forward through the crowd to get back to the girls' original spot by the front.

As they reached the front of the crowd again, the lead singer looked down from the stage at Edward and Bella's joined hands. "Fair play to you," he said, winking at them. Bella giggled and leaned against Edward's shoulder as he squeezed her hand gently.

The band played two more songs before announcing their last song of the night and thanking the audience for coming. The opening notes of "Revelate" filled the air and Bella couldn't help the Alice-like squeal that slipped past her lips. Edward grinned, chuckling at Bella's enthusiasm as she swung their hands to the music.

Bella felt as if her heart would burst from her chest. Edward loved her! He loved her and they were together, watching The Frames, surrounded by their friends and family. Her face hurt from smiling so hard but she didn't care. She turned to Edward to find him watching her, his eyes gentle, her favorite crooked grin on his face.

Bella couldn't contain the adrenaline and pure joy surging through her and she threw her arms around Edward's neck, drawing his lips to hers. When she drew back, Edward was gasping for breath, his eyes glazed. "What was that for?" he finally managed to ask, hoping Bella would be able to read his lips in the noisy venue.

Bella laughed giddily. "Because I love you!" she yelled.

Edward beamed back at her, and grabbed Bella's hand in his. Their hands joined firmly together, they belted out the final lyrics of the song together.

_"Redeem yourself_

_Redeem yourself_

_Redeem yourself."_

Edward picked Bella up and swung her around as the violin played furiously again in the background, bringing the song to a close. He pulled her to him as the song ended. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too," Bella replied in his ear, leaning forward to kiss him again while around them the audience cheered and the band thanked them all for coming and bid them goodnight.

As the lights came up and people began filing out, Bella and Edward were suddenly surrounded by their friends. Alice pulled Bella away from Edward and dragged her over to the other two girls. "So?" Alice demanded, her eyes shining as she bounced up and down in excitement.

"So what?" Bella teased.

"Bella Swan! You know exactly what!" Alice shrieked. "Is everything okay with you guys now?"

Bella shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "You could say that," she replied. "He loves me and I love him." An enormous smile split her face as she finished and this time all three of the girls shrieked as they threw their arms around her in a massive group hug.

Edward appeared behind Bella moments later as the girls drew apart. "Do you guys mind if I steal my girlfriend?" he asked, a ridiculous smile crossing his face at the use of the word "girlfriend."

Alice sighed dramatically. "I guess so."

Angela smiled at them. "If you must."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Take her, please! You guys are too annoying when you're apart." She tried to look irritated but she, too, couldn't help smiling widely at the couple.

Edward laughed as he pulled Bella to his side. "Thanks, Rosie," he said. "And thank you guys for everything you did to help."

"I'll second that," Bella said, sliding her arm around Edward's waist.

"All right, go on, get out of here," Rose said, still smiling as she waved the couple toward the door. "We'll see you guys at home, okay?"

The pair said their goodbyes to the girls and Emmett and Jasper who had come up to join the group before walking out of the club hand in hand.

A few minutes later, they were at Edward's car and Bella couldn't help the happy thrill that ran through her at the sight of the familiar silver Volvo. Edward opened Bella's door for her but turned, blocking her entrance into the car. "Have I told you how incredibly beautiful you are tonight, Bella?"

Bella blushed. "That would be a Rose and Alice double team on clothes, hair, and makeup."

Edward shook his head. "That has nothing to do with any of it," he said seriously. "It's you." He reached up a hand to gently stroke her cheek. "My beautiful Bella," he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her gently. Bella responded readily, wrapping her arms around his neck as their lips moved together in a passionate kiss.

Reluctantly, Edward pulled himself back after a moment. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "I want to beat the others home so we can have at least five minutes of privacy."

"No chance of that," Bella muttered as Edward helped her into the car and closed her door behind her.

Edward climbed into the car and turned to her as they were putting on their seatbelts. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that in the past 48 hours, I have feared for my life twice because I have been in cars driven by your sisters. Lead foot doesn't even begin to cover it."

Edward chuckled. "Family trait. Don't worry, I'll try to keep it below 20 miles over the speed limit," he teased. Bella stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed again. "Bella, I promise you that I would never put you in any danger," he said, his tone suddenly completely serious.

Bella looked up at him with a smile. "I know," she said. "I trust you."

Edward smiled at her before leaning forward to kiss her gently. "And I'll never give you reason to doubt that," he promised. He started the car and then took her hand in his, resting their joined hands on his lap and thinking that never before had he been so thankful to have a car with automatic drive.

The ride back to Forks was mostly silent, both just content to be in the other's presence again and reveling in their recently confessed feelings for each other. About halfway through the drive, something occurred to Bella and she turned to face Edward.

"So, I'm just curious about something."

"What's that?"

"I know you guys have some connections and all, but how did you get an extra ticket to a sold out show at the last minute?"

Edward smiled. "Because there was no extra ticket." At Bella's puzzled look, he continued. "When we first found out about the concert, we got seven tickets – one for everyone in my family. But when my mom met you, well, she kind of insisted that you have her ticket instead. Don't feel too bad," he said, anticipating Bella's words as she opened her mouth. "My mom and dad ended up going to Mexico for ten days. Much as they both like The Frames, I don't think they feel they've missed out."

Bella nodded, taking in what Edward had told her. At least now she knew where the rumor about the Cullens going to Mexico had come from. "Did they have fun?" she asked.

Edward grinned. "They're _having_ fun. They won't be back until Monday night."

"So no one's home?"

"No one over the age of 18, no," Edward responded, the look on his face making Bella flush.

Soon after, they arrived at the Cullens' house. "Well, at least we beat them home," Edward said as he pulled his car into the garage, Rose's car nowhere to be seen. He helped Bella out of the car and they entered the silent house together. Edward turned to Bella and pulled her into his arms. "Now, what to do with our time alone before everyone gets home."

He pressed his lips to Bella's throat and began trailing soft kisses down her neck, his arms holding her tightly to his chest. Bella sighed and leaned into Edward, weaving her fingers through his hair. A moment later, she jumped back as she felt something buzzing against her thigh.

Edward groaned and pulled back from Bella, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. "Really? They have to talk to me _right now_?" he muttered, flipping the phone open to find a new text message. As Bella watched, a smile spread across Edward's face. Edward met Bella's questioning gaze and his smile grew. "That was Alice," he told her. "Turns out they just _had_ to go bowling in Port Angeles after the show so they're going to be gone awhile." Bella blushed but couldn't keep an answering smile off her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even ask," Edward said. "Did you want to go back and join them?"

His expression was innocent but his eyes twinkled mischievously at her and Bella smacked him gently in the shoulder. "Not a chance," she told him honestly.

Edward captured the hand that still rested on his chest and pulled her to him again. "I was hoping you'd say that," he murmured, bending down to kiss her sweetly.

The kiss quickly deepened and Edward forced himself to pull away after a moment. "There's something I want to show you," he told her. He took her hand and led her up the stairs. They passed by his siblings' rooms and ascended the short staircase to the third floor.

Bella thought they were heading to Edward's room and was a little surprised when he stopped her in front of the closed door to the spare bedroom next to his. She gave him a puzzled look but he only smiled, releasing her hand as he stepped forward to open the door and flip the light switch right inside the doorway.

The switch was connected to two lamps in the room, one tall freestanding lamp and a smaller one on a side table. There was a cherry wood sleigh bed in the center of the room that was covered in a blue and chocolate colored comforter and piled with pillows that matched the blue and brown color scheme. The scheme continued in the soft chocolate rug on the floor and the blue walls of the bedroom. A desk and dresser that matched the cherry wood of the bed were also in the room along with a large bookshelf stuffed with books and a wide blue chair that was set near one of the windows.

"It's beautiful, Edward," Bella said. "But why are we in here instead of your room?"

"It's yours," Edward replied. "Do you like it?"

Bella's eyes went wide. "What?"

Edward smiled. "You can blame Alice for this one." He took Bella by the hand and led her over to the bed. "She even made sure you had reading material," he told her, gesturing to the bedside table.

Bella leaned over and smiled at the stack of books sitting there. Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility. She sat back and looked at Edward. "But, I don't understand. When did she do all of this? Why?"

Edward gently ran the back of his hand down the side of her face. "After Angela told them all the truth about Lauren's lies," he told her. "Alice decided then and there that we would all be getting you back – one of her 'feelings,' I guess, and she immediately started on making this into your room. I didn't even know about it until Wednesday, honestly. They did a lot of it without me, but Alice did let me pick the color scheme and stock your bookshelf." He ran a gentle hand through her hair. "I went with my favorite color on you and the color of those beautiful eyes." Bella blushed and looked down at her lap.

"As for the why," Edward continued, "well, as Alice put it, you're family. And every family member should have her own room." Bella was still staring at her lap and he looked at her worriedly. "Is it okay? I mean, is it too weird? Is it all wrong?"

Bella looked up, smiling happily. "Are you crazy? It's perfect," she told him, throwing her arms around him and burying her head against his shoulder. "And it means a lot that you guys did this for me. Thank you," she whispered.

Edward wrapped his arms around her with a contented smile, resting his head on top of hers. "You're very welcome."

The pair sat there for awhile, just enjoying the feel of being in each other's arms once again. "So would you prefer to stay in here rather than my room?" Edward asked eventually, pressing a kiss to the top of Bella's head.

Bella pulled back and looked up at him. "I love this room, I honestly do," she told him. "But I kind of miss your room."

Edward kissed her nose and stood up, pulling Bella with him. "You'll have plenty of time to enjoy your room. If I ever let you out of mine, of course," he finished with a wicked grin.

Bella didn't even blush this time. "Works for me," she said, returning Edward's look.

They crossed the hall and had just entered Edward's room when Bella suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Crap."

"What's wrong?"

"I left my overnight bag in Rosalie's car," Bella explained.

"That's all right, I have stuff you can wear. Though I don't think I should give you another white button down," he teased. "I might start to run out."

This time, Bella blushed. "Um, about that."

"Like I said, I think it looks better on you than it does on me," Edward said with a grin. He shut the door to his room behind him and stepped toward her. "I've missed that blush," he murmured, gently running his hand down the side of her face.

Bella swore she could feel her skin get even redder but she looked Edward straight in the eye. "What else did you miss?" she asked boldly.

Edward smiled again. "Would you like me to show you?" Bella felt her breath catch and she nodded wordlessly.

Edward ran his hands gently through Bella's hair. "Your soft hair that always smells of strawberries," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Your beautiful brown eyes that are always so open and honest." He dropped gentle kisses on each closed eyelid. "I missed your hand in mine and your fingers in my hair." He lifted one of her hands to his mouth and pressed gentle kisses to the tip of each finger before placing a kiss on the palm of her hand.

"I missed that brilliant mind and all its thoughts, deep or otherwise." Bella smiled as Edward's lips gently brushed her forehead. "I missed that spot where your neck connects to your shoulder." He kissed and gently sucked at the spot making Bella moan softly. "And I definitely missed that sound."

He straightened and met her eyes. "And I missed that gorgeous mouth and the words and sounds that come out of it." His eyes twinkled wickedly. "Not to mention the numerous other things that mouth is good at."

Bella could feel herself blush once more but her embarrassment was short lived. "I missed you, too," she murmured, leaning up to meet his lips with her own. Everything they had felt over the past week – the pain, anger, anxiety, heartbreak, and current euphoria that now flooded them both – went into that kiss. Edward's lips left Bella's, traveling down her neck and across her collarbone making Bella sigh softly as she wove her fingers through his hair.

Bella slipped her ballet flats off, kicking them behind her as Edward's lips returned to hers. The kiss was heated, almost desperate as if to make up for the time they had been apart, and Bella moaned into Edward's mouth. Edward's hands slid down to the hem of her shirt and Bella reluctantly pulled away for a moment so that he could pull the shirt over her head. She quickly removed Edward's shirt as well, tossing it impatiently aside.

Edward moved them backwards until Bella felt the back of her knees hit the bed and she sat, pulling Edward down with her. His weight pushed her onto her back and he held himself above her, their lips still joined. Her hands slipped between them to undo the button on his jeans and she then tried, unsuccessfully, to push his jeans down his legs. Edward sat up, pulling his jeans all the way off before removing Bella's as well.

Bella suddenly thought of Alice's insistence that she shave her legs and she couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. "What's so funny?" Edward asked, tossing her jeans aside.

Bella bit her lip, wondering if talking about shaving her legs would be a bit of a mood killer. "I was just thinking about how Alice pretty much had to force me to buy this," she improvised, gesturing at her underwear.

Edward's eyes traveled slowly up her body. "Remind me to thank Alice," he muttered, returning to the bed. He attacked her lips hungrily and Bella readily met his assault, their tongues battling fiercely. With one hand tangled in Edward's hair, Bella reached down between them once more and ran her hand over his erection. Edward groaned in pleasure and Bella repeated the motion, bringing her feet up on the bed so that her knees were bent, her feet on either side of Edward's thighs.

Edward growled, feeling himself get impossibly harder as Bella's gentle strokes turned more forceful and his lips once again left hers, traveling down her throat to the swell of her breasts. He pressed a kiss to the top of each breast before sliding a hand under her and unclasping her bra, tossing it toward the foot of the bed. He cupped her breasts gently, enjoying the weight of them in his hands before brushing his thumbs across her nipples. Edward felt his cock twitch as Bella mewled in pleasure at the sound and he lowered his head to her right breast, licking and sucking at her nipple causing Bella to moan once more. He repeated his ministrations on her other breast before he pressed a kiss to the valley between them and then began to place light kisses down her stomach. His movements were slow and deliberate as he took time to thoroughly worship her body.

When he reached the top of her panties, he paused, reaching down to lightly trace her slit through the lacy material. Bella whimpered, her hips jerking forward as Edward continued to tease her. "Edward, please," she managed to gasp.

Unable to deny her anything, Edward growled low in his throat as his fingers hooked beneath the waistband of her boy shorts, practically tearing them off of her in his haste. Watching Bella's face, he slid a finger easily into her wet core. "So beautiful," he murmured, sliding in another finger to join the first. Bella gasped, her hips moving in rhythm with the thrusts of Edward's fingers.

Without warning, he dipped his head, suddenly replacing his fingers with his tongue, and Bella whimpered, bringing her legs up behind his back, her heels pressing into his shoulders. He sucked harshly on her clit and Bella cried out, her hips bucking forward of their own accord. She knew she was close to her release and she tugged frantically at Edward's hair. "Edward, Edward, please. Stop! Please, stop!"

Edward instantly stopped, looking up to meet Bella's gaze. "Bella?" His expression was concerned and Bella smiled down at him.

"I want all of you. I _need_ all of you," she corrected, hoping that Edward would understand what she meant.

Edward smiled gently at her and he moved to hover over her, his weight resting on his forearms. "My Bella."

"Yours," Bella whispered, tears in her eyes.

"As I am yours," Edward said softly, cupping the side of her face with one hand and looking her directly in the eye before leaning down to kiss her. The kiss was tender, reverent, and Bella slowly ran her hands up Edward's arms before loosely wrapping her arms around his neck and running her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.

Edward pressed his tip to her entrance, pulling back to look down at Bella as he slowly entered her. Bella sighed happily at the feeling of completeness that flowed through her as Edward filled her, hooking her heels behind his thighs as her arms wrapped around his back.

Edward groaned as her warmth enveloped him completely. His dreams had not come close to doing this incredible feeling justice. He felt whole again.

They remained still a moment, both taking a moment to relish in the feeling of their bodies being joined once more. Finally, Bella slid her hands gently down Edward's back and he began to move, his thrusts slow and deep. Bella moved with him, their bodies meeting thrust for thrust.

Bella could feel her release approaching once more and this time she urged Edward on. "Faster, Edward. Please. Oh, God. Harder!" Her nails scraped down his back and Edward growled, his thrusts increasing in force and speed. He slipped a hand between their bodies and found her clit, roughly brushing his thumb over the sensitive bundle of nerves again and again.

"Edward! Oh my God! Unh! Edward!" Bella cried. Her back arched off of the bed, her walls clenching tightly around Edward as she came, her body trembling from the tremendous force of her orgasm.

"Bella! Fuck!" The sight of Bella coming undone beneath him was the most arousing thing Edward had ever seen. Burying his face against her neck, he thrust once more before he joined her in release, groaning her name as he spilled into her.

They lay there, still joined, as their breathing slowed and returned to normal. Edward shifted to lie beside Bella, reluctantly disconnecting their bodies. Remembering how self-conscious Bella had been the last time they had woken up together without any clothes on, Edward reached over the side of the bed and fumbled around a moment before his hands found his t-shirt. "Thought you might want this," Edward said, handing her the shirt. Bella pulled it on and Edward made a sound low in his throat. "I also missed how incredibly sexy you look in my clothes," he murmured, kissing her softly.

This kiss was slow and searching without the urgency of their previous actions and Bella sighed happily into Edward's mouth. When they separated, Edward reached over the side of the bed again, grabbing his boxers from the floor and pulling them on. He then lay down on his back, holding his arms out to Bella.

Bella snuggled up to Edward's side, pressing a gentle kiss to his bare chest as Edward wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. She breathed in Edward's scent, deciding instantly that it was infinitely better when it was coming from Edward himself rather than his shirt or her pillow. Edward stroked Bella's hair gently and Bella felt her eyelids droop at the comforting sensation.

"I love you, Edward," Bella murmured sleepily.

"I love you, my Bella," Edward whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Soon after, they drifted off to sleep together, the awful events of the previous week behind them, forgotten in the comfort of each other's arms.

*********

End


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